Who Do You Love
by Nyx6
Summary: In setting out to find her father, what Lauren does not expect are a storm and a long car ride with a grumpy Dean Ambrose. But as they get to know one another and Lauren settles into wrestling life, they realise their bond might be the one thing that saves her from the enemies suddenly crowding at her door. Set during The Shield days. Yes, I know, I'm over three years too late.
1. Hard Luck Woman

**Okay, so it's been kind of a long time since I've done this, but over the last few months the writing bug has hit me again and now I literally cannot stop.**

 **This is actually my first WWE story and although I don't usually indulge in oc fics, this one wouldn't leave me alone. I've virtually finished it now, so I figure it's time to start putting it up and seeing what people think. I know I'm** **probably about three years too late to be writing about The Shield but the way we keep being teased with a potential reunion made me go back and watch some of their earlier stuff and well, what can I say, the result is this fiction. I should also say at this point that (because I find writing real life people and relationships super icky) this is totally kayfabe and set sometime in August 2013.**

 **I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. It's been a real escape.**

* * *

 **Hard Luck Woman**

To say that my plan had hit a snag was pretty much the understatement of the century. It had hit, crashed, rolled a couple times and burst into a great big ball of flames.

Then exploded.

The annoying thing was that up until that point – the whole crashing, rolling, inferno point – it had actually been going pretty well. I'd bought my tickets, caught my first flight, touched down in Orlando and merrily made my way across the terminal towards the gate for Baton Rouge. I think I might have even skipped I was so excited.

 _I was fucking doing it_.

Until I wasn't.

"Storm front."

"Huh?"

The woman at the desk rolled her eyes at me wearily, presumably because having to repeat herself meant also having to stop jawing on her gum.

" _Storm front_ , all flights cancelled."

The happy little plane ticket wilted in my fist and my stomach churned anxiously.

 _Oh god, oh god_.

Clearing my throat and fixing a wobbly smile in place, I tried to keep the panic from rising.

"O-kay, so, when will flights start up again?"

The woman threw a look at me and although she didn't say _do I look like a freakin' meteorologist to you_ her eyes spelt out the words distinctly and blushing mildly I hurried to explain.

"I mean, not that I'm expecting you to know _exactly_ – I get that you couldn't – but how long do these storm fronts usually take to pass? Are we talking hours or days? Because the thing is, I kinda need to get to Baton Rouge by tomorrow night and if there aren't any flights in the next few hours I don't know how I'm supposed to – ,"

"Rental car,"

I blinked at her, feeling stupid.

"Oh, right – um – and where would I find one of those?"

"Rental car desk."

"Uh huh, uh huh," I nodded vigorously, "And where – ,"

"Out the main doors, across the parking lot and round the corner."

"Got it, thank you."

Sensing that I was by no means her favourite customer of the day – although I'd have paid good money to see anyone that was – I turned on my heels in an attempt to look poised and promptly tripped over my own wheeled suitcase which I had abandoned directly behind my legs in an attempt to ward off would-be bag-snatchers.

Don't judge me okay? I'm from a small town.

The woman smirked widely and I could already tell that the sight of me stumbling across the gleaming floor tiles had become the highlight of her troublesome day. Refusing to make eye contact, I snatched up my suitcase and towed it behind me straight out of the doors.

Outside the clouds were gathering moodily in a fantastic palette of dark grey and smoky blue. As a child I had loved being tucked up on the window seat, snug and warm in our cosy little house and watching as the lightning had rolled across the wheat fields and the rain had hammered down hard against the pane. Being out _in_ it however – not to mention whilst towing an unruly suitcase across a parking lot that was easily half a mile long – was a whole different story and as the heavens abruptly opened I broke into a run.

"Crap, crap, _crap_."

By the time I burst in through the doors of the rental place, I was soaked to the bone and frozen to the core, with big old droplets of bitter summer weather rolling from my hair right down my neck. Inside the office was oddly silent and I glanced up to find the few occupants just staring. A rounded, moustache-wearing guy behind the desk gave me a quick once over and frowned,

"So, the rain's started then?"

I simply glared at him in response and he shook his head and let out a whistle, turning his attentions to the other man present; a tall guy with a suitcase that he had already been dealing with. Fortunately their business seemed to nearly be up and pushing a sheet of paper forwards, moustache-guy plucked some key off the walls.

"Okay, so you just wait right there and I'll go and bring her round for you, alright?"

If the other man answered then I didn't hear him although Moustache Guy didn't seem to notice, pushing through a door marked _staff only_ and disappearing out of sight. Still trying to shake the rain from my jacket, I watched as the tall man put his name on the paperwork, the gesture a lazy one as if he was bored or had done it a million times already and for whatever reason the apathy intrigued me. The man himself had to be over six feet and – from what I could see beneath a thick leather jacket – was pretty damn broad-shouldered too. Well-proportioned was a better way of putting it. He had a good height to muscle ratio and – _wow_ – I needed to stop obsessing about his physique.

The rest of him was casually dressed; with heavy, well-worn workman boots, a hat pulled down to just above his eye line – but still letting out a few wisps of reddish blonde hair – and a slightly baggy pair of jeans that hung attractively around his thighs and off his –

 _Stop_.

As someone cleared their throat I jumped and glancing up I realised that the guy was staring.

 _Shit_.

Piercing blue eyes gazed across at me unflinchingly and at the corners of his mouth I saw a flicker of smirk.

 _Double shit_.

Instantly I turned my attentions back to trying to brush the rain off my clothing, gasping as a bead dripped right off my waves and dribbled miserably down my forehead.

"Here," I jumped as a box of tissues was thrust in my direction and looked up see Blue Eyes offering them out, "You look like you could use them."

"Uh, thanks."

I tentatively pulled one loose and started to dab at my wringing wet neckline, watching as he dropped the box back on the counter-top. His expression was strange and I couldn't quite decipher it; not open and friendly but not menacing either. If I'd had to call it anything I'd probably have gone with something between _coldly amused_ and _utterly_ _disinterested_. Luckily the noisy re-emergence of Moustache Guy saved me from having to debate it any further and he slung the keys at Blue Eyes with a wry little chuckle and a ran a hand through his non-existent hair,

"Would you believe it? It's raining cats and dogs out there."

I glared at him. I certainly _did_ believe it. I'd picked up a couple of Pomeranians and a Bengal on the way across the parking lot.

 _Nice Ass Guy_ – uh – I mean _Blue Eyes_ snorted and bent down to pick up his bag. Clearly he was done with the whole situation and as he sauntered up towards me, his gaze flickered down and my heart flipped like it was in training for the Nationals. Moustache Guy didn't seem to notice the tension,

"Safe trip to Louisiana,"

I blinked. _Huh_. So Blue Eyes was going my way. Not that it was a massive surprise. Given where we were and the god damn _storm front_ there were probably plenty of Louisiana-bound travellers wandering around aimlessly trying to work out what to do. Still, they weren't exactly my problem and towing my suitcase up to the desk, I took a deep breath,

"Hi there, I'd like to hire a – ,"

"Sorry," Moustache-guy cut me off instantly, "None left."

" _What_?"

"He took the last one."

"But – but – ," I stuttered in horror, feeling a tidal wave of disappointment start to build above my head, "It – it can't be. I need to get to Baton Rouge by tomorrow and if I don't make it then I'll have missed the opportunity and – and I barely had the money for the plane ticket out here and – ,"

As another drop of water rolled down my face – and not even I knew if it was an actual tear – the box of tissues was offered out again and I took one and dabbed at my eyes.

 _Yep, crying_.

In spite of the histrionics however, Moustache Man – or _Roy_ as his name badge stated – managed to remain surprisingly upbeat; nodding towards the door with a smile.

"Hmm, Baton Rouge huh? You know, I'm pretty sure that's where he was headed."

My head sprang up in confusion,

"What?"

Roy nodded briefly in the direction of the doorway and then dropped his head to scan through the papers. In the lull another bead of water slid down my nose and onto the linoleum. They would have to get out a _wet floor_ sign when I was gone.

" _Yep_ ," Roy struck the sheet with his finger, "Baton Rouge, just like I thought. That's a stroke of luck, wouldn't you say?"

Stroke of luck? I blinked. How was that? Surely he couldn't be suggesting –

"Wait. Are you saying that he and I should _share_?"

"Not exactly. I mean, he's the one that signed the paperwork – technically that's _his_ car – but he might be willing to let you tag along with him. I guess it depends on how desperate you are."

Damn. I _was_ desperate and both of us knew it but Blue Eyes didn't strike me as a guy who would share, not to mention that his gaze had sent chills through me – how could I cope with him for twelve hours in a car?

"Better make your mind up quickly – he's getting inside."

"Huh?"

 _Shit_.

The sudden panic seemed to make the choice for me and I turned and threw myself back through the doors. I _had_ to get to Louisiana and how I got there I no longer cared. If Blue Eyes was driving that way then so be it – he was going to have me along for the ride.

Outside the rain was still sheeting down heavily and it blew into my eyes like tiny wet missiles, making it virtually impossible to see and sending me into an off-kilter stagger. In the end I didn't so much _reach_ the rental as _bump_ right into it – not that I cared – and yanking open the passenger door, I leapt inside, still dragging my case.

The response I got was half-angry, half-startled – or possibly angry at having _been_ startled.

" _Hey_ – what the hell?"

I didn't waste a second and promptly launched into a hasty reply,

"I know, I know, this is weird and I'm sorry, but – but you took the last car and I _have_ to get to Baton Rouge by tomorrow night for something that could totally change my life and I don't have any other way of getting there and the moustache guy in there – what was his name? _Roy_. Roy said that you were going to Baton Rouge and so I thought that maybe, _just maybe_ we could share and I – I mean I will _literally_ give you everything I have – which, isn't actually all that much – but I will give it to you anyway if you just let me ride with you. _Please_."

The words came out at a million miles an hour and with every frantic gesture I made, I peppered the car with more drops of water. But the thing was, I didn't care. I honestly didn't. I just had to make him hear me out before he ordered me to leave. I had nothing to offer him but the truth and I was damned if he was going to stop me before I was finished.

Although as it turned out when I _did_ actually finish, I could have kept going, because Blue Eyes said nothing. As in, not a word.

"Um, I could also take turns on the driving and – and I can help pay for gas and – ,"

God why didn't he just _say_ something? But he didn't, he just eye-balled me instead with those piercing, probing, crystal blue orbs. Maybe this was a bad idea. _Yep, okay_. This was a horrible idea and I was so busy kicking myself for having made it in the first place that it barely registered when he _finally_ spoke.

"Change your life how?"

"Huh?"

He stared back at me. His voice was deep and gravelly. I liked it.

"You said it would change your life. How?"

For a second I simply blinked at him uncertainly, but then finally I leant forward and unzipped my bag. Pulling loose a crumpled piece of paper I held it up so he could see,

"This."

"A letter?"

"I have to give it to someone."

Blue Eyes looked between the envelope and me, clearly trying to work out whether I was serious or having some sort of psychotic break. I stared back at him, earnest and unblinking, biting my lip and hoping he believed me. He didn't sound confident,

"And _that_ will change your life?"

"Well, I – I hope so. But not if I don't get to Baton Rouge."

Blue Eyes let out a long suffering sigh and shut his eyes briefly,

"Okay _fine_ – but for the record, this isn't me acceptin' this. I don't really want you here, I just get the impression that you wouldn't get out even if I asked. So to save time – what the hell – you can stay. But if you're gonna be here then we need some ground rules. First, you sit there quietly, you don't move, you don't talk about nails or guys or whatever it is you girls like to chitchat about when you go to the bathroom – and secondly, you sure as _hell_ don't touch the radio. Do we have a deal?"

I nodded eagerly,

"Uh-huh, deal – silent, no chitchat, no radio. Got it."

"Good."

He turned back to the wheel with an under-the-breath-mutter that I didn't quite catch and wasn't sure I wanted to either. As he turned the keys the engine came to life and I settled back and allowed myself to breathe again. This was it, I was going to Baton Rouge.

With my case still wedged between my legs and making me more uncomfortable than I already was, I decided to stow it away on the backseat and turned to push it in through the gap. Unfortunately as I did I swiped it across Blue Eyes and transferred the rainwater to his jacket instead.

" _Watch it_ ,"

"Oh, wow, sorry," I gulped, hastily pulling a sodden tissue from my pocket; it was one of the ones he had offered me earlier but already it had seen far better days, "Here, let me just – ,"

"I think you've done enough," he snapped, jerking his arm away angrily. Fortunately he didn't stop and drag me out – which I probably wouldn't have blamed him for – but from his expression he was not a happy camper and so remembering _Rule Number One_ , I sat quietly and allowed him to drive us from the airport.

Well, I _say_ I sat quietly. I sat quietly for the first two minutes, after which something important occurred to me and I leant across the console and extended my hand,

"I'm Lauren by the way."

He looked at it distastefully and then took my fingers limply in his, shaking it like I had a disease and he was mindful of catching it.

"Dean."

"Nice to meet you Dean and, hey, thanks for this – you're really helping me out."

For a second I thought the ice was broken, as our eyes met briefly and held for a second. The blue orbs pierced my soul like a laser and I felt my stomach hitch in response. Then, just as suddenly, the moment was over and he turned back to the road again and shook his head,

"Why do I get the feelin' I'm going to fuckin' regret this?"

I said nothing. What did he want from me? Maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't. But either way, I was getting to Baton Rouge.

* * *

 **Did I mention how much I enjoyed writing this story? Because I really did. Weekly updates (or more frequent I guess if there's enough demand).**

 **Comments welcome.**

 **TTFN.**


	2. Getting To Know You

**Hi all. So, since there wasn't much to go on in the last chapter, I thought I'd give you this one good and early to get you into things a little bit more. Thanks to those who have shown interest. Hope you enjoy it and - hey - I'm not proud, I am more than happy to beg for reviews.**

* * *

 **Getting To Know You**

For the first forty minutes I stuck to the rules. No fidgeting, no chitchat, no messing with the radio. Not that I actually _had_ to on the latter point, since his taste in music was pretty damn good. Classic rock and a little heavy metal. I could certainly live with that. But what I couldn't live without – as it turned out – was the comforting noise of background chatter and without a verbal dialogue to distract me, my mind was stupidly free to wander.

 _Holy crap_ I was going to Baton Rouge and more than that, I was going to meet _him_. My heart pounded loudly and my palms were so sweaty that I had to keep rubbing them over my skirt, which was still a little wet from being stuck in the rain and therefore not a whole lot of help. But you know what? It didn't even matter because I was still taking the biggest step of life and the whole thing was just so _amazing_.

Or at least it was to begin with, because about fifty minutes into the journey – and with the storm clouds still glowering dark up above – the crippling doubt and gnawing insecurity decided to show up and flip everything on its head. What if I got there and he didn't want to see me? What happened if he did but then – I don't know – he didn't like me? What happened if I didn't like _him_?

Nor was that the worst of my problems.

I was in a car with a total stranger and no one in the world – except poor Roy and I doubted he'd be a credible witness – had any idea where the hell I was. They would probably find me in a ditch by the roadside or floating in a river, or buried in a wood. Was I _insane_? I must have been crazy and as a bolt of terror shivered right through me, I started to hunt in my pockets for my phone, pulling it free and trying not to tremble as I punched in a number I knew off by heart.

Dean's eyes shifted across from the wheel and I jumped a little when he finally spoke,

"What are you doing?"

"I – I'm phoning my friend. I promised to let her know where I was,"

"I thought I made it clear – no chitchat."

"You implied no chitchat with _you_."

"No I didn't," Dean growled back at me; not having looked over since we'd set off and his mood clearly not having evened out either, " _No chitchat_ , means no chitchat _period_."

"Can we stop saying _chitchat_? It's starting to sound weird. Anyway, if I don't call her, she's probably just going to ring the police and – actually I've got a whole lot of people waiting to hear from me. So unless you let me call someone and tell them I'm safe, they'll all come searching for me – is that what you want?"

Throughout the sentence I'd been trying to sound threatening but the longer I spoke the more panicky I became and I could see Blue Eyes – whoops – _Dean's_ smile widening. It wasn't exactly a kind smile either. It was more like a spider with its eyes on a fly. Perhaps he knew that it was all bullshit – that search and rescue was definitely _not_ on its way. Yep. I really _had_ to be crazy. Finally however, he waved his hand,

"Knock yourself out Princess. Just make it quick."

I blinked at him. _Princess_? That was original. Because okay, so maybe I was a girl but it wasn't like I was a bottle blonde drama queen. Still, in the interests of self-preservation, I decided to not take offense at the nickname and instead hit the dial and held the phone to my ear.

 _Please pick up, please, please pick up._

"Lauren?" Kelly answered on the second ring and I was so relieved to hear her voice that I actually squeaked like a tiny little mouse. Dean's eyes flickered across to me briefly, but I ignored them resolutely and cleared my throat.

"Hi."

"Hey honey, so, how far have you got? Brent's been watching the news all morning, apparently there's some sort of storm front out that way. You calling from the airport?"

"Not exactly, no."

" _Not exactly_?" Kelly's voice echoed back at me and on hearing my tone she was instantly alert, "What do you mean by _not exactly_? Lauren Marie Hope, where are you?"

"Did you just _full name_ me? I'm still in Florida."

"You stuck?"

"Well, kind of but – not," I mumbled uncertainly, not entirely sure how to tell her that I was travelling in a car with a possible killer that I didn't want to overhear that's what I thought he was, "All the flights were cancelled from Orlando,"

"Oh sweetie, that's sucks. What are you going to do?"

"Actually I – um – I sort of got a lift."

" _Sort of_?" Kelly echoed again and sometimes I swore it was like she was a mind-reader, which given the fact we'd been best friends _forever_ , probably meant she essentially was, " _Jesus_ Lauren, don't tell me you're _hitch-hiking_?"

In the background I heard her husband Brent pipe up and based on his pitch, his reaction was similar. Kelly had done really well finding Brent. They slotted together like two parts of a puzzle and I had grown to love him nearly as much as I loved her. Luckily the feeling was adorably mutual and his instantaneous big brother-style coronary was all the confirmation I needed.

Not that it helped my current situation.

"No, no," I shot back, quick to appease them, "I'm just – like – sharing a car with someone."

" _Who_?"

"Yeah," Dean snorted, idly beside me, " _Sharing_. A fucking _car-jacking_ is what it was."

"Is that him?" Kelly was on it like a pit-bull or something smaller, like a scrappy Chihuahua or a Tasmanian Devil, "You're sharing a car with a random guy? Lauren, are you _crazy_? You're there with a _stranger_?"

"Well, I wouldn't – ,"

"Put him on."

"What?"

"You heard me," Kelly answered firmly, "I want to talk to him. Put him on."

"I can't just – ,"

" _Lauren,_ _put him on_."

Taking the phone away from ear I turned towards Dean with levels of awkwardness that I didn't even know were physically possible. Sensing my gaze, he glanced in my direction and I held out my cell and waved it around,

"Um, she kinda wants to talk to you."

His face creased up in confusion,

"Who does?"

"My – my best friend."

He stared at me for a second, just blinking and to be honest I didn't begrudge him the bewilderment. But to his credit he snatched the phone off me and put it to his ear with a sigh,

"Yeah?"

I literally held my breath, unable to make out what she was saying but able to make a pretty good guess. Dean simply listened and continued to drive, steering us one handed down the darkening highway as the clouds seemed to practically close in overhead. Around us the wind was starting to pick up and the trees on the verges shook hard in response.

"Uh-huh," Dean threw in somewhat lazily, "Okay, I got it. Here she is."

He passed the phone back over to me silently, his blue eyes never leaving the road and I took it pretty hesitantly from him and held it up to my ear,

"Um, Kel – ?"

"Don't start on me Lauren, I just gave him a warning."

"O-kay. Well then, thank you, I guess."

"I still don't like it though – neither does Brent. Are you going to be okay with him?"

I paused momentarily and glanced over at Dean. To be fair he'd done very little to warrant being classified as a serial killer and not just by me but by my best friend and her husband. He was right, I practically _had_ car-jacked him, not to mention the whole staring-at-his-ass thing _and_ swiping his beautiful jacket with water. Maybe I needed to give him a chance? The thought made me nod, although the gesture was redundant in that Kelly couldn't possibly see,

"I'll be fine."

"You want me to stay on the line a little longer?"

"No, no that's okay, you go."

She didn't seem utterly convinced by my sentiments, but to be quite honest neither was I. Still, it was my bed and I just had to lie in it. Or rather sit in it, no chitchat and no messing with the music. Kelly let out a world-weary sigh,

"Okay, but you text me every single hour or I swear to _god_ I'm calling the police,"

"I will," I replied and couldn't help giggling, "I love you."

"Laurie, I love you too – even though you drive me _crazy_ by hitching rides with possible killers. I'm not kidding either, _every hour_ , you hear?"

After a few more earnest assurances from my end and a whole lot more worrying and stressing on hers, I finally managed to convince Kelly to hang up on me and then dropped the phone into my lap with a smile. There weren't a whole lot of people in my life that I could count on to be there for me unconditionally – and that number seemed to be fading by the day – but Kelly was a person that I knew I'd never be without and just hearing her voice had brightened my day.

I felt pumped, I felt confident, I could do _anything –_ although all of that fled the second Dean spoke,

"Your friend has a real way with words."

 _Crap._

"Um, yeah, about that – ,"

"I kinda like her,"

I blinked,

"You _do_?"

"What can I say? I like 'em feisty. It's too bad she's already married."

"She told you that?"

He shrugged off-hand,

"In a kinda roundabout way. She told me her husband would track me down and rip me in half if I thought about touchin' a hair on your head."

God this whole thing was so damn awkward and Dean's expression didn't help in that it wasn't angry, or amused, or really _anything_. I swear I couldn't work him out and as the silence threatened to envelop us totally, I realised that I couldn't cope any more. _Road Rule Number One_ be damned. I needed myself at least a vestige of chitchat.

"So, Dean, what is it you do?"

"You gotta be kiddin' me."

"What?"

"Fuckin' _chitchat_."

"I just want to know a little bit about you, that's all. You know, find out – ,"

"Whether I'm a cold-blooded killer?" I blinked and clearly my response said it all, "Relax Princess, I'm not and you can tell your angry little friend that. Or is she going to send the Inquisition round too?"

"No, no," I shook my head at him quickly, "I believe you. So, what _do_ you do?"

"Sports entertainment," he growled at me deeply, in a _that's enough of that_ kind of way and sensing that he probably wouldn't give me much more anyway, I opened up a one-woman dialogue instead,

"Sports entertainment, huh? That sounds – uh – _great_. I'm sure that will put Kelly's mind at ease. But, I mean, you don't have to be too hard on her. It isn't really her fault she's protective. We've been best friends since we were six and after everything that's happened to me this year she just likes to make sure – ,"

"Happened to you?"

Trust him to zone in on that throwaway fragment. I paused uncertainly, not sure what to say even though I knew I owed him _something_. In the end, I took a deep breath,

"Lately things have been kind of – _rough_ for me."

"Life's rough," Dean answered and there was something harsh to it, like my statement had hit an unknown nerve, "We make it through or we don't, it's that simple. You think you're the only one that goes through bad shit?"

I bristled, my fists balling involuntarily. How _dare_ he judge me? Was I looking for that? A red mist fell in front of my eyes and before I even knew what I was doing, I was blurting out the one fact I'd spent weeks trying to hide,

"My mom died."

"So? Big deal. Mine wasn't around much. Think that makes us even so far."

"She died six weeks ago."

His face fell instantly and for the first time since we'd driven off he looked over at me properly. Not that I could really see. I was too busy fighting down the lump in my throat and trying to blink away the fast forming tears.

 _Crap, not now Lauren, please don't lose it_.

As if my day hadn't been bad enough. I did _not_ want to end it sobbing in a rental car next to a massively unsympathetic ass.

I heard Dean swallow,

"Sorry. Didn't know."

"No," I shook my head, "You didn't."

It came out in a breathy whisper. I didn't trust myself to speak any louder without betraying how I felt, although honestly my eyes were doing that quite nicely and with his gaze flitting steadily between road and weepy passenger, Dean licked his lips and tried again.

"Unexpected?"

"No. We knew it was coming. Thought that might make it easier. It didn't."

He didn't push me any further on that and although his voice was still gruff and awkward, I could tell that he was at least _trying_ to sound softer. He shifted uncomfortably and coughed in his seat, clearly hating every last second, which frankly made two of us, so we had that in common.

"She write the letter?"

"Huh?"

I looked up as Dean pointed down at the envelope. I had almost screwed it completely in my fingers and realizing it suddenly, I loosened them a bit. If he noticed it, then Dean didn't say he had, simply repeating himself instead,

"Did your mom write that letter? Is _that_ why it's so important?"

"She did, but that's not why – ," I shook my head hopelessly, struggling to know how to explain the whole thing, "The letter is my proof to him."

 _Brilliant Lauren. That'll fill in all the gaps._

"Him who? Please tell me you don't mean god."

I shook my head, my frustration fast rising along with a headache pounding right behind my eyes. Maybe I'd been a little hard on _no chitchat_.

"No, it's not – ,"

"Because if that's what's going on here Princess, count me out, I don't want to be converted. I'm happy down here in the gutter with the sinners."

My patience promptly swelled and then burst, the final admission coming out in a holler I didn't even know had been fast building up.

"Ugh, _no_ – I mean _my dad_. This letter is proof that I'm his daughter."

For a second there was silence as Dean merely blinked and I shivered again as his blue eyes flickered over. What _was_ that? Why did that always happen? His tongue darted out to whet his dry lips and my stomach rolled over at the moistness he left there.

 _Wow_.

I needed to get a grip, _fast_.

"So what, he doesn't think you're his?"

I stared down at my hands and shrugged,

"Actually he doesn't know I exist. My mom never told him. It was always just the two of us."

"Well I guess that explains the psychedelic best friend."

The throwaway comment drew a tiny smile out of me and seeing it, Dean slightly softened up too. Or maybe he didn't – maybe I imagined it – but for the briefest of seconds it _seemed_ like he did.

"Which is why you're so desperate to get to Baton Rouge – so you can finally meet him?"

"Uh huh," I nodded and took a deep breath, the plan sounding totally ludicrous when spoken instead of swirling around in my head, "He's only there for one night, so – it's kind of now or never, right?"

Dean held a hand up to distance himself quickly and just like that, he was an asshole again,

"Hey, don't ask me – it's not my life. We're just sharin' a ride here, remember? No fuckin' way am I givin' out advice. Besides, I said no girly chitchat which is _exactly_ what this fuckin' is. Tell him, don't tell him. I don't care – I'm just gettin' where _I_ need to go."

"Fine," I huffed injured, folding my arms.

"Fine," he nodded.

Then there was silence.

In the lull I sat back and watched the rain streak down the window. The sky was almost fully black and although the sun was still up there shining, it was amazing to watch the cloud almost block it out. The wind had picked up even further and it practically threw the droplets at the car. It was kind of mesmerising to watch it fall and listen to the pitter-pattering sound. It was soothing, it was comforting it was stimulating and – oh crap.

Suddenly I needed to use a restroom.

Damn my weak bladder and sensitive hearing – that and the fact that I hadn't been in _hours_. In fact I'd been heading towards the bathrooms in the airport when they'd suddenly declared that all flights were shut down. After that I'd just kind of forgotten but I certainly couldn't forget anymore. What the hell was I supposed to say to Dean though? Since we didn't seem to be talking and given the whole _getting where I need to go_ speech he'd made me listen to a minute ago. Even if I told him I wasn't sure he'd pull over and so instead I settled for shifting in my seat, trying to get my bladder comfy and screwing my face up each time it didn't work. I thought I was doing it pretty discreetly, but then suddenly Dean's gruff voice rang out,

"Fuck's goin' on over there?"

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Are you fuckin' serious?"

"I really need to go."

For a second I thought he might just _tough love_ me or say something about wishing he'd never let me in – actually I think he was probably going to – but a quick glance over at my scrunched up face and the way my legs were cinched together alerted him to the fact that I was barely holding on to it and he rolled his eyes and let out a groan,

"Alright, alright, let me get off the interstate."

He spun us off the very next exit ramp, by which time I was half-braced up against the dash. As a little country road opened up before us, I tried to be helpful in any way I could,

"I'll keep my eyes open for a gas station, when I see one, I'll shout and you just – ,"

I stopped as Dean pulled us up on the grass; a tangled patch of scrub alongside us. I turned towards him questioningly and was alarmed to find him smiling for the first time. What the hell was that about? Seeing the newly-forming frown on my face, he indicated the wind-swept foliage with his hand and it didn't take me long to work out what he meant.

I gaped at him, outraged,

"You want me to go in the _bushes_? Because, I don't know if you've seen the weather lately, but the storm of the century is raging out there. I can't pee in _that_!"

Dean stared back at me,

"Then I guess it all depends on how desperate you are Princess, because – trust me – there isn't a restroom _for miles_. So it's either go out there and do it Davy Crockett style, or stay in here and stain the seats. Oh and just so you know, the second option is _not_ an option."

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"You have _no_ idea."

Now that the car was stationary, the power of the storm was truly apparent and despite the fact that the rental was a big one, it was actually physically rocking up and down. How the hell was I meant to pee in gale-force conditions? Was that even possible? With Dean still smirking at me however, I decided I couldn't take the coward's way out. _Screw it_. I was going to pee in the storm and hope to god it didn't rip off my panties.

I grabbed the handle defiantly, then stopped, as a sudden thought hit me like a punch to the gut,

"You're not going to – like – drive away are you?"

Dean blinked back at me cluelessly,

"What?"

"You – you're not going to wait until I'm out there and then just drive off and leave me on the side of the road, right?"

In response, Dean narrowed his eyes at me sharply and I genuinely couldn't tell whether he was offended or whether he was figuring out if it could work. In the end however he merely let out a grumble and reached out to turn the engine off. Instantly the car stopped its rhythmic purring and in the silence the wind seemed to sound _more_ violent. Reaching over he gave me the keys and then stared at me impassively,

"That make you feel better?"

I nodded, surprisingly touched by the gesture,

"I – yes, it actually does."

"Great," he drawled back; the word dripping sarcasm, "Now can you just fuckin' go pee already?"

Physically getting out of the car was a battle that I hadn't been prepared for – since the wind was blowing in flush against the door and practically holding it shut – but once I'd made it I quickly wished I hadn't because _holy hell_ was the weather ever bad. Simply making it over the foliage felt like stepping out in the middle of typhoon and by the time I'd actually completed my task, I was soaked to the bone and my hair was wet and tangled.

On the way back I was positively blown towards the car and I banged up against the window like a cartoon character, semi-flattened against the glass. Dean watched it happen – without moving – from the driver's seat and wearing that god damn _patented_ smirk that for a moment made me wonder if he'd locked the doors internally or decided to pull some other kind of prank. Luckily however he hadn't done anything and I forced the door open and threw myself in before the wind blew it shut hard behind me again.

I sat there for a second on the seat just panting, feeling like I'd gone ten rounds with a bear. I didn't look at Dean, I couldn't bring myself to do it and as his palm came out in the corner of my eyes, I silently deposited the keys back onto it, listening to him re-start the car.

"Feelin' refreshed?"

Again I didn't answer but what I did do was shiver and wrap my arms around myself. We drove in silence back onto the road and the further we went, the worse the shivers got. It was miserable. No, scratch that – _I_ was miserable. How much worse could one day get?

Ten minutes after that, Dean flipped on the heater and channelled it to blow straight into my face. I didn't say anything and he didn't either but I melted into the seat nonetheless.

After that, we kept to the ground rules; no moving, no chitchat, no messing with the radio. _Kiss_ was on. I didn't mind.

* * *

 **Told you I'd beg. Please review!**


	3. Living The High Life

**So it seems like the most sensible thing for me to do would be to try and get these out about twice a week, since the whole thing is (nearly) written up. Thank you to the reviewers who took the time to tap out a couple of words for me. They make me happy. Glad you like where it is going and to the guest who thought Dean was a bit mean to poor Lauren, I agree, but I promise he is going to get better. Well, eventually!**

 **Until then, I hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

 **Living The High Life**

The motel Dean chose was by no means inspiring but after nearly six hours behind the wheel I guess it was fair that he got to pick and if cheap and run-down was his kind of thing then – for one night only – it could be mine as well.

I could handle it. I'd been camping.

"Why don't you go grab us a couple of rooms?" Dean suggested, slinging us up alongside the entrance, "I'll park up and bring the bags in and _no_ , before you ask, I won't drive off and leave you but if I _did_ , I'd make sure to leave your shit – tampons and hair straighteners ain't really my deal you know?"

I rolled my eyes and flung the door open, peering intently down at the ground. Dean's gaze narrowed,

" _Now_ what are you doing?"

"Looking for chalk outlines. This is _totally_ the sort of place a person would get murdered,"

His expression darkened,

"Princess, don't tempt me – just go and get us some rooms."

I clambered out and slammed the door behind me, listening as he revved the rental across the parking lot. Clearly he was trying to show that he was pissed at me, but in reality he just sounded like an asshole instead. In the intervening hours since what I was calling _pee-gate_ , it was safe to say our relationship hadn't bloomed. In fact we'd barely spoken two words besides when we stopped for food and I'd asked him to make the monumental decision between a baloney or tuna fish sandwich. To be honest after having been with him all evening, the prospect of my own space sounded brilliant and with a _whoosh_ of the electric doors – one of which someone had clearly tried to kick through – I stepped across the threadbare carpet and up to the wood-clad reception desk.

The lobby was about as inspiring as the outside of the little place had been, with the whole thing generally feeling run-down and it not helped by the guy behind the counter. He looked like he stepped out of a cheap porno from the seventies and that was by no means an attractive sight. Tall and thin with a greasy black comb over and aviator style glasses that went out with carpet tiles. The final straw however was the sleazy little moustache; hanging limply over his lip. It looked like he'd forgotten about a long piece of licorice and the thing had embedded itself into his skin. In short, he was _exactly_ who I expected to see behind the night desk of motel in the middle of nowhere. It was like I was living out a road trip movie and on seeing me staring he _actually_ checked his breath.

"Hey sweet cheeks, what can I do for you?"

 _Sweet cheeks?_

 _Wow_. _Just actually wow._

His voice was nasally, like he had severely blocked sinuses and there were so many teeth jammed into his jaw that I couldn't help but wonder if he was storing them for friends.

"Uh, yeah," I blinked, snapping myself out of it in case he mistook my staring for lust, "Could I possibly get two rooms for the night? Doubles if you have them, or twin, or – whatever."

The gaze of his thin little eyes behind the glasses was starting to get just a little unsettling and he didn't take them off me as he tapped at the computer. How he could he even see what he was doing? I wasn't sure that his fingers were making contact but forgot all about it as he licked at his lips. It wasn't enticing like it had been when Dean did it, instead it made my skin prickle and kind of _crawl_.

"What's your name pretty?"

"Um, it's Lauren."

"Tell me, are you sharing your room with anyone tonight – or is it just you, by yourself, all alone?"

"No, no, I've got a friend. But that's why we need two rooms."

"I see, well then I'm sorry to tell you, _Sexy Lauren_ , but we only have one double room available tonight. Everything else is taken up, what with the weather and all the cancelled flights."

"Oh."

To be honest, I was still so preoccupied with having been called _Sexy Lauren_ that I was only half-listening as Creepy Guy carried on. My eyes flickered down to his name badge.

 _Jeff_.

Yeah, that figured I suppose.

"So here's what I suggest we do, alright? We let your friend take our last double and you can come and bunk in with me."

 _Huh_?

Was this guy actually serious? Really? I glanced around quickly, hoping to see Dean – honestly hoping to see _anyone_ else – but the lobby remained unenviably empty. If they were booked to full capacity, why was no one else around?

"Uh," I shifted uncomfortably in front of him, dropping my gaze to study the desk and then almost instantly wishing I hadn't as his hand slapped stickily straight across mine. His fingers gripped me tight and vice-like and although I tried to pull back instantly, I found I couldn't free my arm.

 _Crap_.

"What do you say to that, _Sexy Lauren_?"

"Can – can you please let go of me?"

I tried again to free my hand; my elbow banging down meekly on the desktop and my heart beginning to pound in my ears. What the hell was wrong with the guy? Did he have no sense of social awareness? If I hadn't been so utterly uneasy I might have – _might have_ – admired his balls but as his sweaty palm rubbed over my knuckles, my body decided to shudder instead.

"Don't be like that now," Jeff continued, unleashing a wildly toothy grin, "There's plenty of room for us both in my room, especially if you – you know – spend the night _under_ me."

 _What?_

This time I pulled even harder,

" _Let me go_."

Fortunately however, before I all-out panicked, a familiarly gruff tone spoke up behind us,

"Is there a problem here?"

 _Dean_. _Thank God_.

I shut my eyes briefly and listened as his solid footsteps drew in close. Jeff still had a tight hold of my hand but the grip wasn't so much lustful as steadying and it was clear that he didn't know quite what to do about the towering, _glowering_ bundle of muscles crossing the lobby to stand by my side.

"I, uh – ,"

"You really didn't hear her the first time? She said it pretty clearly buddy. _Fuckin' let her go_."

As Dean's tone moved from _cavalier_ to _dangerous_ , the long sweaty fingers unsuckered from my own and I whipped my hand back and scowled at him darkly while trying to wipe off the residual dew.

 _Gross. Just gross_.

"Good call," Dean nodded, "Means I don't have to beat you into the ground."

Still clinging onto my violated hand, I turned towards him hesitantly,

"They've only got one room for the night."

"In that case we'll take it."

"But – ," I blinked, "How will we – ?"

"Hey _hands-y_ ," Dean barked suddenly at Jeff, who positively launched himself in the air. Clearly his tastes ran towards uninterested women and not six-foot something, swaggering men, "That double room of yours got a couch?"

"Uh, yes."

Dean flung his hands out wide,

"Problem solved."

Jeff whet his lips again hurriedly, sensing a sale in spite of his fear,

"That'll be sixty dollars, or five extra – if you want to use the pool."

As the gale force rain battered hard on the windows, Dean smirked up at him,

"We'll give it a miss."

He flipped some bills down onto the counter and scribbled his name in the registry book, going through the motions like a seasoned professional and although I wasn't sure what _Sports Entertainment_ was, it struck me that it obviously involved a lot of travel and probably a whole _bunch_ of creepy motels. Finishing his name with a scratchy-little flourish, he slammed the pen down and held out his hand,

"Key."

"Um, if you like, I can show you up to your room?"

"I think we'll manage," Dean smiled thinly before setting his face more firmly, " _Key_."

Jeff dropped it into his palm with a hiccup and Dean continued to eyeball him. At the same time he placed a hand against my back and it's warmth seeped in through the damp threads of my sweater and made me tingle.

 _Damn it Lauren, stop_.

Reaching down he shouldered our luggage and steered me – palm still pressed up close – out of the lobby and up some metal stairs.

"You okay?" he asked me gruffly, "I mean, he didn't hurt you?"

"No," I croaked back, "No, it's okay. I'm totally fine."

Except for feeling like an idiot that was.

We climbed in silence after that, with the wind whistling around us and Dean moving on what seemed to be a mixture of instinct and luck. I had no idea how he knew where he was going, but sure enough beyond a misplaced garden statue of a bug-eyed flamingo with a crack in its beak, there was room number eighty-seven. Our little boudoir for the night. Dean unlocked the door with a _click_ and dropped our bags down, reaching over to flip on the light.

The room was even _less_ spectacular than I'd banked on; with a muddy brown carpet, heavy red drapes and a garishly patterned, bright _satin_ bed throw which seemed to emphasise – rather than lessen – the many stains that dotted the walls. Dean headed over to the couch in the corner – in yet another clashing set of stripes – and flopped down onto it with a resigned sounding groan before bouncing up and down lightly on the cushions.

" _Ah_ , what the hell – for one night it'll do. So what do you make of the place then, huh?"

I had a feeling he already knew since I was staring in horror and keeping my arms by my sides. I wasn't sure I wanted to touch anything and if I'd owned a black-light, I wouldn't have done. Eventually however I picked my case up and put it down on the bed with a gulp,

"It's – dry," I offered and Dean smirked back at me,

"Not exactly what you're used to I'm gonna bet?"

Typical. He was _enjoying_ my discomfort and suddenly I felt kind of awkward around him. It was stupid really – _totally_ stupid – especially given how long we'd spent in the car. We'd been even _closer_ in the rental as well. Sitting practically elbow to elbow. But he'd been driving and we'd both staring forwards, whereas now we were alone, in a room, face-to-face.

Trying to shake off my growing embarrassment, I took a deep breath and sat down on the bed. Unfortunately the mattress was better used than I'd expected and it sunk below me and tipped me off onto the floor. I landed with a squeak and my cheeks flushed harder at the sound of Dean's derisive snort. Abruptly my awkwardness turned to anger and brushing grime that I didn't like to dwell on hastily off my hands and knees, I stumbled to my feet and looked up hotly,

"Oh okay, yeah, very funny. Why don't you just – ,"

I stopped as the sight before me grabbed my tongue and trapped it right between my teeth. Dean was standing there suddenly shirtless, his jacket and t-shirt flung over the seat. When I'd been staring back in the rental place, I had guessed that the broad shoulders were part of an enviable physique, but seeing him topless was a thing of wonder and I exhaled bodily.

 _Holy wow._

His stomach was toned and his abs were well chiselled, but not in a way that looked like it was forced, more that he looked like he worked out a _whole lot_ as his neck and his arms seemed to hint at as well. In short, his body was actually, well, _perfect_ and I stuttered, unable to turn away my eyes,

"What – um – what are you doing?"

The blue eyes flickered up at me briefly and then the mouth quirked into a smile,

"Going to take a shower. Why? Seen something you like?"

"I – _what_? Uh, I mean, _no_. I was just – just asking because I know you must be tried from all the driving and everything, so I was thinking I would kind of _get out of your hair_ and – there's a bar, next door, so I might – might get a drink and give you – you know – a moment alone."

It came out at a million miles an hour and was probably the least controlled sentence I'd ever said. It was made even worse and heaps more awkward by the fact that I was trying to act super-cool. We both knew instantly that my attempts weren't working – the beetroot red cheeks fast seeing to that – but thankfully Dean's response was simply to chuckle and give a sardonic little shake of his head,

"Sure, go knock yourself out – here, you'd better have this," he tossed me the key in one-handed throw and I caught it after briefly looking like I'd missed, "Just go easy, alright? I don't want to have to come bail your ass out if you swing at someone or moon the police."

"I wouldn't – ,"

He looked back at me,

" _Sure_ you wouldn't Princess."

Thanks to his mischievous grin, I couldn't help but come away with the impression that I was different from the girls Dean was used to spending time with. I actually pictured his usual grouping with fake breasts, blonde hair and diamante egos. They were probably the type that would have jumped him then and there and the fact that I by comparison _hadn't_ seemed to amuse him.

I didn't know why.

Swallowing down the lump of apprehension, I grabbed my purse and backed away towards the door. It was at that moment however – and why _wouldn't_ it have been – that my fear of abandonment came calling loud and clear.

"You will – ," I stopped, feeling utterly stupid, "You will be here when I get back, right?"

He looked up – _still shirtless_ – and frowned a little,

"What?"

"I mean, you're not going to _drive off_ or something like that?"

I waved my hands about as I spoke, trying to act like it was no big deal. But inside my heart was thumping like a drumbeat and it was so loud I wondered if maybe he could hear it. He seemed to catch on surprisingly quickly, as evidenced by the way he rolled his eyes,

"Lauren," It was the first time he'd actually said my name and my body shivered simply hearing it on his lips, "Don't you think if I'd wanted to ditch you, I'd have already fuckin' done it by now? I coulda hotwired the car when you were pissing in the wind back there – terrible idea by the way, still can't believe you actually did that."

"I didn't exactly have a choice and _wait_ – _you_ can hot wire cars?"

He shrugged and sauntered towards the bathroom,

"It's just one of a number of talents I have," he grinned before stopping and throwing me a wink. My legs began to tremble. Damn his sexiness. Briefly he pointed at me, half-warning, half-teasing, "I mean it alright? Don't go gettin' yourself into any trouble."

Then he went in and shut the door, leaving me standing, heart pounding on the carpet. Okay, I _really_ needed that drink and turning I fumbled around with the handle, calling out to him and once again failing to be cool.

"Um, okay then. I'll be back later, don't wait up for me."

"I won't."

The sound of the shower flipping on was my ending and I groaned and stepped out into the hall. Slamming shut the door behind me plunged the stairway into half-light and outside on my own I sighed and let my eyes shut as I fought down a torrent of jumbled thoughts.

 _Ugh_. _Just ugh_.

Shaking my head I cleared my throat briskly and set off down the steps at a trot. The feeling of the wind blasting through my hair felt wonderful, like someone with cold fingers massaging my scalp. I needed a drink – or maybe a whole bottle – and I needed it quickly.

 _Alcohol, you're mine._

Then and only then, would everything feel good again and I could leave this horrible day behind.

"Trouble," I snorted, "Like _I_ would find trouble."

It was going to be a gentle, stress-free night.

* * *

 **Okay, so with a basic show of hands, who thinks Lauren is going to stay out of trouble? More importantly, what sort of trouble do you think she might find? Answers on a postcard or...hmm...actually, you know what? It's probably easier if you just review!**

 **Until next time my beauties!**


	4. Fun And Games

**So, another three day stretch another chapter and thank you again to everyone who read and a bigger thank you to those who reviewed. Skovko, I think that might be the nicest thing anybody's said. I'm so glad you like my style. Writing is probably the one thing in life that comes naturally to me! Also, yes, I do have a couple more stories (I'm in a high-writing phase at the moment) and they're all Dean-centric so I'll have to put those up. I put the beginning of another one up this morning. Also thanks to my lovely Guest reviewer. Time to see if you were right about Lauren getting into trouble (you MIGHT have been right!)**

 **In the meantime, I hope you all like this chapter. On with the show…**

* * *

 **Fun and Games**

The inventively titled _Smokey's Bar_ sat back from the road right beside the motel parking lot. It was a small little place – a single-storied hut in essence – but at the same time it was pretty much what I was expecting and more than that, it was what I liked as well. It was a small-town bar for a small-town girl and stepping inside felt almost like being home again. Even the neon signs felt familiar as did the handlebar moustache guy cleaning glasses, who looked up and flashed his teeth in my direction as I hopped up onto a barstool and leant my elbows on the wood.

"Evening miss, what brings you here? Let me guess. They cancelled your flight?"

"Wow," I smiled, "You know, you're pretty good at this?"

"I might've had a bit of practise across the years. What are you drinking anyhow?"

"Bourbon, straight up."

He blinked at me from under his bandana and by the way his eyebrows rose up out of sight I could tell that he was surprised by my order. He probably figured me for _light beer_ girl and I imagined that's what Dean probably thought of me too.

"Whatever you say little lady," he chuckled, flinging the washcloth over one shoulder and quickly loosening the cap off a bottle, "That bad a night, huh?"

"That bad a _day_."

He slid the drink across to me and I took a sip of smooth brown nectar. It hit my throat like a flow of hot lava and I closed my eyes and sank into burn.

"All because of this little old storm?"

"That and the guy I'm travelling with," I huffed at him, "Who's just so – just so – ,"

What _was_ he exactly?

Failing to find an appropriate word I instead waved my arm in the air in description and the bartender smiled and offered me a nod.

"You like him, huh?"

I recoiled in an instant, my vehement refusal a little too fast.

"What? _No_. I don't – I don't _like_ him."

"Uh huh, whatever you say there sweetheart."

I downed the rest of my drink in a gulp and without the need for any kind of prompting, the bartender reached over and topped it back up.

"Thank you," I mumbled and he threw a knowing wink at me and then ambled off to serve other customers along the bar.

The solitude allowed me to think for the first time. As in really, honestly sit down and think, which I hadn't actually done since I'd set off that morning when things had been different and it had all seemed – well – _simple_.

I would fly out to Baton Rouge, meet with my father, be immersed in a cocoon of familial love and not have to face every day on my own. Because that's what I was. _Completely_ on my own. I mean, okay, so sure, I always had Kelly but other than that there was nobody else. From the moment I was born until the moment she had left me, it had always been just me and my mom. No grandparents, no aunts and uncles, no cousins.

Just the two of us, together.

Except now there was only one.

The thought of the rest of my life without family was infinitely more than I thought I could bear and even though it went against my nature – not to mention my desire to keep things _safe_ – I had packed my bags and flown myself out here to try and build something with the last relative I had.

It was bold, it was gutsy, it was – utterly stupid and _god_ I needed another drink. Luckily the barman was still happy to oblige me and I seized my top-up and took a little sip.

 _Oooh_.

That was better. Okay, so where was I?

Dean – oh no, not Dean, _my dad_. Although Dean was also part of the problem and truthfully the most immediate one I had. Damn him and his impeccable body, making me twitchy and angsty and _hot_. Why couldn't he just be a little more normal? You know, idle chatter and a few clear boundaries instead of blowing hot and cold? His eye-wiggling flirtations didn't help either and neither had his soft warm hand on my back. It almost seemed like I could still _feel_ it on me and it worried me just how _nice_ it had felt.

 _No. Just no_.

I didn't like Dean. He was a stranger after all. I didn't even _know_ him. Once we were safely in Baton Rouge I wouldn't even _see_ him again.

I took another sip.

Besides, he didn't like me like that. In fact I was pretty sure he thought I was an idiot. He had every right to after all, considering that I had variously stared at him, hijacked his ride, made him stop so I could pee in the bushes and worst of all let my best friend _threaten_ him with a slow and painful death over the phone. I could only imagine what he _actually_ thought of me and that train of consciousness made me down my drink again.

The bartender stopped by and topped it back up again and as I reached for the glass I missed it.

 _Not good_.

Maybe it was time to slow down a little. I didn't want to get into _trouble_ after all.

But with Dean and even my _father_ to one side, there was still a big problem I hadn't addressed fully and wasn't sure I _could_ since just the vague thought of it made me start to fall apart.

I missed her.

I missed her with everything I had and just thinking about her – and what she'd have made of me road tripping through the country with a weird ass guy – made my eyes fill up to the brim on instinct and I drained my bourbon and dropped down my glass.

Hearing the sound of it clatter to the woodwork, the bartender slunk back up with the bottle, although he drew up short on seeing my tears and frowned very slightly,

"Think you've had enough?"

"Not nearly," I grumbled, then sighed and let my shoulders slump as my voice became a whisper, "Just one more."

He nodded and indulged me but after that I was cut off and knowing it I resolved to savour every last drop. Or at least I _tried_ to – I really, really did – right up until I threw it back in one go and held my glass aloft in an unofficial tribute.

"That one was for you mom."

The bartender looked at me and frowned just a little and waving my hand dismissively, I attempted to stand up. It turned out to be more difficult than I had banked on and I clung onto the bar stool, giggling.

" _Oops_."

"You gonna be alright to get back?"

I nodded and reached in over the bar-top gratefully, patting him a little too hard on the cheek,

"You're a sweet guy Bruce – ,"

"Not my name miss."

"I like you Bruce – I like you _a lot_."

As I spoke I turned on my heel a little clumsily and cradled my purse up close to my chest. My cheeks were glowing with the hot burn of alcohol and for the first time in weeks I felt kind of _happy_. Time to head home back to Dean.

The minute the strong wind hit me I focused, stepping back out into the gale outside and pouring what was left of my swirling concentration into putting my feet in front of the other. It was slow and – okay – a little unsteady but I managed to make my way across the parking lot before arriving, triumphant at the foot of the stairs.

 _Clang_.

Or at least it _would_ have been triumphant if I hadn't drunkenly crashed into the bottom rung, toppling forwards and hitting the steps noisily, still giggling as the pain sunk in.

"Ow, _crap_."

A door opened somewhere just off to the side and suddenly hands were under my arms, tugging me into an upright position and allowing me to gain much needed purchase with my feet.

"Dean?" I mumbled only I couldn't smell his aftershave and the supporting fingers were bony and rough.

"Not quite _Sexy Girl_ ,"

"Oh no, s'you," I slurred unhappily, "What 'zactly do _you_ want, huh?"

Jeff smiled and continued to pull me upright until I was virtually nestled beneath his arm. He smelt of stale cigarettes and something bitter, like ammonia or cleaning fluids or possibly both. I'd probably disturbed him scrubbing the toilets or trying to get some blood off the walls. Not that he seemed to notice his own aroma as he lead me slowly, rung-by-rung up the stairs.

"Don't be like that _Baby Doll_ , I'm trying to help you. I'm getting you up to your room, that's all."

"My name – ," I hissed imperiously, "Is Lauren. Not _sexy_ or _swee'cheeks_ or _babe'doll_."

"Okay, okay," he chuckled a little eerily, "Point taken, now let's just get you in bed,"

His words sent a sudden stab of anxiousness through me that managed to break in clean through the drunken haze and I stopped so suddenly that I nearly fell over and pushed him back with both of my hands,

"Whoa there buster, _whose_ bed are you talkin' 'bout?"

He smiled again but it wasn't reassuring and _god_ he had _a lot_ of teeth.

"Hey, no, no, I'm a good guy, remember? Look, I've brought you up to your floor."

He held out a hand and indicated something – misplaced and garish – propped up against the wall. It was the broken flamingo statue I'd seen earlier and on seeing it I relaxed a little, worry gone,

"Oh."

"See?" he cooed, slipping an arm back around me and propelling my jello-like legs along the floor, "We're almost there, just a little bit further – I'll take good care of you."

I poked him,

"I'm sure you will. You know what? You're a nice guy _Jeff_ – all you guys around here are nice. The guy at the bar – _think_ he was called Bruce – anyway he was really nice to me too. Stopped me from getting myself all drunk – don't you think that's sweet? I mean, that's pretty great, huh?"

By this point we'd reached a door at the end and he juggled me as he pulled the key from his pocket. In doing so he absently placed a hand against my breast and I moved it off again, giggling and blushing,

"Whoa, slow down shunshine – hey, I said _shunshine_. Isn't that funny?"

"What?" he snapped, his demeanour fast changing, "I mean, oh yeah, a real hoot."

Then he swung the door wide open and flipped a switch to bathe the room in the light. I blinked in beyond him. Something didn't feel right and frowning in confusion I briefly glanced around.

"Dean?"

" _Sssh_ ," Jeff whispered, " _Keep your damn voice down_."

His grip around my arms grew tighter and my heart launched rapidly into my throat.

" _Ow_ , that hurts," I was starting to panic, "What are you doing? Wh – where's Dean?"

"Right here."

At the sound of a voice both Jeff and I pivoted, like a strange sort of comedy double-act in training. Sure enough there stood Dean with his hair slicked back and still wet from the shower, blue eyes burning and arms folded across his chest.

"Oh," I exhaled, unable to hide my disappointment, "You – you put your shirt back on."

Dean blinked across at me and although his face stayed neutral, I thought I noticed a flicker of mirth. It faded pretty quickly though and as he stepped forward, our good friend Jeff positively _threw_ himself back. In the process he let go of me and I wobbled unsteadily, surprised by how much he'd been holding me up. Fortunately Dean was there in an instant and he wrapped his hands around me and kept me on my feet,

"See?" I smiled, "Your hands are warm. His were bony _and_ they hurt."

His eyes flickered briefly – _wow_ he looked angry – but it faded as he lifted my chin with his thumb,

"You okay Princess?"

"I – I fell over."

"Not surprised. You've had _way_ too much to drink. Thought I told you not to cause any trouble. What did I say about bailin' you out, huh?"

"I haven't caused any trouble," I huffed at him, pulling free and almost planting sideways. Luckily he caught me again before disaster but I ignored him to steadfastly continue my rant, " _You_ were the one who wasn't in our room. You _promised_ me you wouldn't leave."

"Lauren," he intoned, suddenly sounding firmer, "I didn't leave. I _was_ in the room."

"But I couldn't see you,"

"No you couldn't, because _this_ – ," he gestured, "Is _not_ our fuckin' room, okay?"

I blinked at him for close to ten seconds, the words taking time to settle themselves in.

"It isn't?" I squeaked. Dean shook his head,

"No."

"Oh. Then – whose is it?"

"You know what? _That_ is an excellent question. So you just hang out here for a minute while I beat the answer from our grubby little friend."

With a startling sense of self-preservation, Jeff made a sudden dart for the door, throwing himself in over the threshold of the room that _apparently_ wasn't actually ours. Unfortunately for him however Dean was just as speedy and about five times as muscular too meaning that as Jeff tried to slam the door shut, Dean simply shouldered it open again.

"Where are you goin', huh?"

"Pl – please," he stammered, "She was drunk, I – I was just trying to help."

" _Help_?" Dean barked sharply, stalking towards him and snatching him up by the front of his shirt, "Help her do what? Climb into your bed?"

" _No_ I – I just forgot where she was staying. I made a mistake – okay? _A mistake_."

Sweat was beading down the centre of Jeff's forehead and Dean towed him closer until they were standing nose to nose.

"Yeah, you fuckin' did."

Then suddenly Dean reared his fist back and hit him, upsetting the greasy little, _porno-style_ parting and sending Jeff's glasses clattering to the floor. He shrieked out loudly and I gasped along with him, wobbling unsteadily as I lurched from the wall.

" _Dean!_ "

 _Holy crap-a-moly_.

What had just happened?

 _Holy crap-a-moly._

I giggled. That was funny.

Grabbing him again by the front of his shirt, Dean pulled Jeff upright, blood cascading from the nose. The smaller man was crying – in fact he was _blubbering_ – and the sight made Dean's face quirk into a smile. Not a reassuring one either but something dark and twisted and a little bit primal.

Sexy as well.

 _Oh god, not now._

"If you come near her – or, hey, what the hell – _any_ woman ever again. I'll rip out your tongue and stuff it so far down your throat that you'll be tasting your ass. Do you understand?"

Jeff nodded hastily and a bubble of blood grew and then burst beneath his broken nose,

"Y-yes."

"Good. Now get the fuck out of here."

I watched in bewilderment as Jeff hiccupped miserably and then stumbled past me in an all-out run. The blood was still tumbling out like a waterfall and glancing down towards the floor I could see a trail of deep red spots forming. Was there any damn surface in the whole motel that wasn't covered in stains of some sort?

 _Yeesh_.

I didn't envy their cleaner.

For his part Dean stood quietly for a second, almost like he was gathering his thoughts. His slicked back hair had gone awry with the punching and he pushed it back again and let out a sigh. Then he turned towards me – face straight and serious – and grasped me firmly around the arm,

"I knew it," he muttered as he pulled me behind him, "I knew I was going to fuckin' regret this."

He slowed a little to push me through a door and into a room that looked kind of run-down. It had thick red drapes, a dirty brown carpet, a bright satin coverlet and –

"Hey, my case! _This_ is our room. See Dean? I found it."

I turned to him giggling, poking his pectorals and he snorted wryly in response,

"Yeah, well done."

"Come on grouchy," I grinned, still wobbling, "You need to lighten up a little bit. I mean, you just punched a guy in the _face_ , like – _bam_. Blood and everything. What was _that_ about?"

He stared at me through narrowed eyes,

"Are you fuckin' _kiddin'_ me right now?"

As his mood looked set to rapidly deteriorate, I quickly lost interest and spun towards the bed. I was tired – _so_ tired – and my eyes were aching to the point where the even satin coverlet looked good. Kicking my shoes off somewhat haphazardly, I flopped down onto the bed, face-first.

Or at least, I _would_ have done had I not misjudged it and instead rolled right off onto the floor.

"Ow."

Up close the brown carpet was even less inviting and it was thin and scratchy and it actually _smelt_. It made my stomach churn but when I tried to push away from it, I realised my arms were refusing to work. All at once my plight seemed hopeless and before I could stop them a few tears rolled out,

"Dean? I don't like it down here. It's scary."

" _Jesus Christ_ ," I heard him groan, but moments later his hands were on my arms again and he was turning me over and pulling me up, "You're a real fuckin' pain in the ass. You know that?"

" _Mmhmm_ ,"

To be honest I wasn't really listening and his words whooshed over my head like smoke trails. My eyes flickered shut, my head lolled heavily and my legs and arms became suddenly limp. I was utterly gone, unable to do anything and with another groan of probable long-suffering, Dean scooped me up and dropped me down onto the bed.

The mattress was amazing – like being on a cloud – and I snuggled down and let sleep take hold, slurring out a few extra little words that I hoped might help Dean's mood come the morning.

If they didn't I was in for hell.

"Thank you for saving me."

Then there was nothing.

* * *

 **You know what to do and I know it's a kind of a bind and whatever, but you would really make my sad little life by leaving me a word or two.**

 **Have a lovely weekend all.**


	5. Building Bridges

**Ugh, it is so ridiculously hot here and it's making me moody. I don't do heat. On the plus side my room is the coolest place to be right now, so it's allowed me to put this chapter up. Thank you as ever to those who are reading and my reviewers and in answer to my guest...well, let's see how much she remembers!**

 **On with the story...**

* * *

 **Building Bridges**

As it turned out the _thank you_ didn't help and the next morning we packed our bags and left the motel in silence.

As in _silence_ silence.

Not a word was spoken.

Or at least it wasn't spoken by _him_. I on the other hand chattered away constantly, trying my best to pick the mood up and encompassing everything from the state of the weather, to the road conditions and global news.

 _Nothing._

Dean didn't grunt, he didn't try to answer, in fact he didn't so much as _look_ at me and eventually I sighed and reluctantly gave up.

The thing was I couldn't really blame him either. After all I had been _impossibly_ stupid and reckless and crazy and every word in between. If I was honest then it was only thanks to his intervention that I was still there and not – I shuddered – _somewhere else_. As it had turned out I hadn't drunken enough that the night had blurred or faded and as a result I could still remember it pretty clearly, even though I longed to forget. I could remember the feeling of Jeff's clawing fingers, his stale smell of sweat and the look on Dean's face.

 _Ugh_.

That was the worst part. Easily, out of all of it. Dean's two parts angry to one part _sad_ look. _I_ had put that there. _I_ had done that and I was desperate – _desperate_ – to take it back off. I had already tried being upbeat and cheerful but clearly it was time to try something else and drawing in a long breath – which also fought down the nausea – I swallowed and awkwardly cleared my throat,

"Okay, look, about last night – ,"

" _Jesus_ ," he groaned and although it was angry, I was pretty relieved to hear his gruff tones, "Do we really gotta do this? The fuckin' _post-mortem_?"

I glanced down at my hands and shrugged,

"I think we do."

"What's left to say? You went out, you got drunk and some guy tried to drag you back to his hotel room. I punched him. It's done. You want to rehash it? Be my guest. But leave me out of it, okay Princess? This isn't group therapy. I don't do that shit."

His answer was so hostile and oddly bitter that it took me by complete surprise.

 _Some guy tried to drag you back to his hotel room._

That part still made me utterly shudder. But wasn't that exactly what had nearly happened? Killing things between Dean and I at the same time? Last night – before my drunken misadventure – I had felt Dean and I were breaking down a wall. We were talking, he was teasing me, _kind of_ looking out for me and the whole thing had felt undeniably nice. Suddenly however we were back at square one again and although I knew it was all my fault I couldn't _not_ try to make it better.

I couldn't just let him sit there in a mood.

"Well maybe you should."

He blinked at me fiercely, the blue orbs flashing in sudden affront and although I'd been dying for him to look at me all morning, I could have done without the obvious ire,

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means _I'm sorry_ and I know that doesn't count for much but – _god_ – I'm sorry. I really, really am. I don't drink, okay? I'm not usually like that. But with everything that's been going on and the storm and my mom and you – ,"

"Me?"

Sure, trust him to latch onto _that_ and sensing we were heading in a dangerous direction, I tried my best to cut him off.

"No, that's not what I – ,"

It didn't work out for me.

"You're fuckin' kiddin' me? What have _I_ done? How the hell is that _my_ fault?"

He was shouting now and I raised my voice to meet him, feeling flustered and tearful and nauseous all at once,

" _No_ , that's not – that's not what I meant. You've done _nothing_ wrong, okay? _That's_ the point. You've been so good and I know we're not friends but we've still got six hours to spend together and I don't want to sit here knowing you hate me and that you'll drive off thinking I'm a screw-up, alright? _I'm sorry_. I really, really am, but I don't know what the _hell_ I'm doing and I'm scared. Don't you get that? I'm completely _terrified_."

For a man who claimed not to appreciate group-therapy, shouting at me seemed to have calmed Dean down and as I tried to hold back my rippling emotions, he let out what _sounded_ like an understanding sigh,

"The whole _meet-the-parents_ thing with your dad?"

I nodded and swallowed down a lump in my throat, hoping that it was simply a flutter of anxiety.

"Yeah,"

He nodded,

"Okay, I get that, but do you realise what might have happened to you last night? What he would have done if I hadn't heard you callin'?"

Dean carded an absent hand through his hair almost as if it would shake out the tension and on seeing it the ball rose higher in my throat. _Wow_ it looked hot and sexy and – oh, okay – maybe it wasn't anxiety after all.

"Um, Dean – ,"

He resolutely ignored me,

"Because whatever problems you got right now, _trust me_ , they would've seemed like _nothin'_ by the time that fucker was through with you."

" _Dean_. I feel sick."

"I don't fuckin' blame you."

I lurched forward suddenly,

" _No_ , like really, _really_ sick."

He turned towards me to assess if I was joking and then promptly groaned on seeing my face. In short I was _not_ good, holding my stomach and sucking in air like I was breathing through a straw.

"Damn it Lauren," he snapped in annoyance, "Listen to me – do _not_ hurl in this car. You do I swear to god you'll be walkin', I'll kick you straight out. You _and_ that pathetic suitcase."

All the while he was cautioning me, he was also changing lanes and manoeuvring us over. The second we bumped up over the shoulder, my door was open and I was half-falling out, plopping down heavily onto my knees and – yep, how graceful – vomiting pure alcohol. The force of it burned and made eyes water and I coughed and gasped and _hated_ myself. I wasn't even fully out of the car either since my left arm had somehow got caught in the seatbelt and was slowly being wrenched right out of its socket like I was trapped in some medieval torture device.

In short I was an absolute mess of a person and it made me laugh bitterly. What was I _thinking_? As if anyone in their right mind would want to call me their daughter. _Me_. A twenty-six year old waitress with no real future who couldn't even make it through twenty four hours without getting molested and throwing up. I wanted to go home – I wanted my mother – but neither of things was going to happen and knowing that made it all feel much worse.

A warm hand encircled my wrist and released it – unravelling it from the seatbelt's tight grip – and the second I could move I sank back weakly, bumping my head up against the car door. Dean dropped into my line of vision and held out a bottle of water,

"Here," I took it from him with shaking fingers and given his lack of comment on the matter apparently I looked like shit. Still, at least the nausea was clearing and the cool stream of water helped soothe my scalded throat, "Feelin' better?"

"Mmhmm," I nodded weakly and as something akin to contentment swept over me, I briefly allowed my eyes to drift shut. The much-lessened wind rustled over me gently and a mild morning sun shone down on my face. It was nice and I decided I wanted to stay there.

The side of the road would be my home.

Then Dean's hand pressed up against my forehead and gently swept aside my sweat-dampened hair. The sensation of his touch sent a current right through me and I opened my eyes into his icy blue orbs. His gaze was easy and non-judgemental and I couldn't work out which of the two surprised me more. _This_ was the Dean I wanted always. Not the grumpy, shouty one.

"Want to sleep it off on the backseat?" he offered and I shook my head and cleared my throat,

"I'm good."

"Yeah," he chuckled, raising an eyebrow and at the same time offering out a stick of gum, "You're _real_ good. Nothing wrong with you Princess, except for the fact that you just threw up and now you're shaking on the side of the road."

I popped the gum into my mouth and started chewing, savouring the sudden minty fresh kick. It gave me something to focus my mind on other than the flips that my heart was trying to make. It felt like my ventricles were working the tumble mats while butterflies fluttered around my insides. Okay, this crush was getting out of hand now. I was acting like a giggling schoolgirl.

 _Christ_.

Fortunately my inner self-loathing was broken by Dean standing up and extending a hand,

"Ready?"

I nodded – not trusting my speech yet – and his fingers closed around mine and pulled me to my feet. I managed to get into the car without much trouble and Dean skirted back around to take his seat. Before we set off again he looked at me sternly,

"You get sick again – you tell me, alright? Because I am _not_ driving to Baton Rouge in car that smells like the alley behind a nightclub."

That seemed fair.

For the next long while we drove in near silence but this time it wasn't awkward and that made it easier to bare. Besides, with classic rock pumping out of the dashboard and the windows half-down to let in the breeze, it was actually all pretty relaxing and for the first time in _days_ I felt at ease.

Which was why it caught me by total surprise that _Dean_ was the one to start a conversation as we rolled across the interstate line.

"So, let me ask you a question about your old man."

"Okay."

"What's his deal? I mean, who the hell is he? How much do you even know about the guy?"

His face was creased with an unhappy frown and seeing it I smiled and poked him teasingly in the arm,

"Is this you saying you're _worried_ about me? Because if that's the case, it's pretty adorable."

He swatted me off again,

"No it's fuckin' not. It's just I've seen how much trouble you get yourself into and I could do without being called to the morgue or dragged through a murder investigation."

I rolled my eyes at him,

"You won't. He's not like that."

"How do you know?"

"Because," I shrugged, "I looked him up."

"You mean on the internet? What is he famous?"

 _Shit_.

He'd clearly meant it as a joke but my panicked expression made it fall pretty flat again and almost instantly Dean's eyes narrowed a hawk. The scrutiny made my cheeks burn brighter and was it me, or was it suddenly very hot? It was a little like sharing a car with a detective and I took a sip of water and tried to stay calm.

"He's married,"

"What?"

"I said he's married," I repeated, knowing that while it wasn't the full answer, at the very least it wasn't a lie, "So, you know, he might not _want_ another family member. Least of all a grown up daughter he didn't even know about."

Dean sighed,

"Lauren, look – ,"

"No, it's okay. I mean, I understand that. I know he might want nothing to do with me. I completely appreciate this might all end badly but I figure I owe to myself to at least try. At this point I've not got a lot to lose anyway, so why not just kind of _go for it_ , you know?"

It was a passionate speech – at least it was on _my_ end – lessened only by the sudden interruption of his phone and Dean jolted sharply and patted his pockets, trying to juggle it loose with one hand.

" _Crap_."

Pulling it free he glanced down at it, smiling a little before pushing _accept_. Briefly I felt my stomach muscles tighten. Why had he smiled? Was it his girlfriend? Did I even _want_ to know that? Fortunately Dean killed my anxieties swiftly with his very next sentence,

"Seth buddy. What up?"

A tinny voice bounced back across the speaker and – yes – it was most _definitely_ male.

"Hey man. You alright? Whereabouts are you?"

"Louisiana. Couple hours away."

"You gonna make it?"

Dean pulled a face,

"Don't I always?"

"I don't know. You're cutting it pretty fine."

"Sethie, _baby_ ," Dean cooed, "Trust me. If I say I'm gonna be there, I'll be there, alright?"

" _Don't_ call me baby man. I told you, it's weird."

"Whatever you say babe."

"Fuck you Dean."

The man himself glanced across at me quickly and threw me a wink which I answered with a laugh. I liked the obvious closeness of their friendship – it was warm and familiar and in turn so was Dean. In a second he'd gone from surly to playful and his whole damn _posture_ just seemed to have changed. For a second it was like getting a glimpse into his centre at some secret inner sanctum that only the people he loved could see. I didn't know Seth personally but clearly Dean was close to him and I liked him and envied him simply because of that.

Mostly though, I just envied him.

I wanted Dean to be like that with _me_.

"Watch yourself Rollins, I'm travelling with a lady here. You think she wants to hear your mouth?"

I blinked as the conversation swung in my direction, surprised at not only having been called a _lady_ but frankly at having been mentioned at all. Across the line Seth snorted loudly and his voice took on a derisory tone,

"A lady, huh? Whatever you say, man, 'cause if she's anything like the girls you _usually_ pick up, then I'm pretty sure she ain't – ,"

" _Whoa_ , _whoa_ ," Dean cut in before laughing awkwardly, "None of that now."

For the first time since I'd met him he looked kind of _flustered_ and honestly, I found it pretty damn cute. I wasn't quite sure what to make of the context – other than that Dean had a tendency for loose women – but the fact that he didn't want _me_ to hear that was strangely uplifting.

"Wait?" Seth paused, "You're serious aren't you?"

Dean waved the phone at me,

"Lauren, say hello."

I paused for a second, not sure if he was serious and then leant towards it,

"Um – _hi_?"

"Hi yourself," Seth answered politely but he didn't sound utterly confident either and frankly I couldn't blame him, "Dean – ,"

"Don't worry about it. I'll fill you in later, when I get there – _on time_. Stop doubting me man. Same goes for Roman. _I'll be there,_ okay?"

"Alright, alright," Seth sighed, hard-done-by and I could almost _hear_ him rolling his eyes, "We'll see you when you get here. Just be careful, you hear me?"

"Loud and clear babe, loud and clear."

" _Ugh_ , I _told_ you – ,"Seth countered hotly as Dean moved his finger towards _end call_. Instantly I knew what was coming and I smiled at me, " _Don't_ call me – ,"

Dean hung up.

"So fuckin' easy," he snorted in the silence and I could tell that he was childishly proud of himself, "Works every time. I've been doing for a year. He never learns."

I bit back my chuckle,

" _You_ Dean, are a _horrible_ friend. _Seth_ on the other hand seemed delightful and he certainly seems to care about you – calling you up, checking how you're doing, telling you to be careful – ,"

"He worries. They both do."

My interest piqued and I suddenly saw an opening to find out a little bit more about his life,

"Both?"

"Seth and Roman. My best friends – _brothers_. Not by blood, but we're family, you know?"

Briefly I thought back to one of our earlier conversations, when he'd told me that his mother hadn't been around. His affection for his comrades was evident and I liked that. I liked knowing there was someone who always had his back. It was certainly more than _I_ had anyway and realising it sharply, a lump hit my throat and my eyes started stinging.

 _No, not now._

I took a deep breath and steadied my emotions,

"So, do the three of you – like – _work_ together?"

Thankfully Dean remained oblivious to the tearfulness and nodded in response, his eyes on the road,

"Work together, make towns together, ride together – usually at least. That storm back there kind of screwed that over. _That's_ why they're checkin' up on me. They think I'll end up in jail or by the roadside. They don't think I can take care of myself."

"Only because they haven't met me."

Dean laughed broadly at that and my heart sang with it. I liked his goofy, _dimple_ -laced smile and the fact that I was seeing it more and more often. Did that mean he trusted me? Did that mean he _liked_ me? Maybe I could make the inner sanctum after all. At the very least we had abolished _no chitchat_.

"Yeah, you make me look like a _survivalist_."

"Hey," I frowned, "I'm not _that_ bad."

"Hate to break it to you, but you kind of fuckin' are."

As he slapped on the blinker and began to change lanes, I looked at the sign and my grin rapidly faded. Baton Rouge was less than two hundred miles away. That only meant a couple more hours. Suddenly I felt sick again. How could we be so close?

Realistically I should have been happy – I was one step nearer to achieving my goal – but at the same time I couldn't help but feel a little panicky and clearly Dean's eyes were following my gaze,

"Not long now. How you holdin' up?"

A very good question. How _was_ I holding up?The short answer – I guessed – was along the lines of _horribly_ but it wasn't just because of the whole _father-thing_ though.

Baton Rouge meant no more Dean.

But how could I say that to him? It was simple. I couldn't. Not without coming off as a maniac anyway which was no one's idea of attractive or sexy. I couldn't tell him that I wanted to stay with him and nor could I tell him how safe he made me feel. So instead I nodded and managed a smile,

"Yeah, I'm great," I answered, lying, "You know what? I'm actually feeling _fine_."

* * *

 **So...now is the time to start placing your guesses. Any ideas who Lauren's father might be? There's a prize to the winner...okay, no there's not. But I'm still curious to know what people are thinking. You've got one more chapter before you find out.**


	6. Every Time You Go Away

**New chapter time again. I hope you're all enjoying. I can honestly say this is my favourite thing I've written and there's a lot more left. So let's get going.**

 **Thanks for my reviews and with regards to the guesses, I cannot confirm or deny anything. Well, not yet anyway, I'll leave that for next time! Loving the feedback though.**

* * *

 **Every Time You Go Away**

Dean dropped me off at a motel on the outskirts. A shabby looking place but it fitted the bill. Besides after the last night's drunken misadventures I was confident I could handle almost any situation, motel-based or otherwise.

Dean however seemed a little less confident,

"This place?" he asked, pulling free my suitcase and wrinkling his nose at the rusted-entrance doors, "You seriously want to stay at _this_ place? You know I can take you somewhere else, right?"

"But I'm booked in. Besides, it had a nice write-up," I pulled out my phone and brought up the page, "See? Three stars. Not bad for my price-bracket. No recent murders either. I mean, that's a plus."

He looked at it briefly but didn't seem convinced and insisted on walking me into reception. Luckily the person at the desk was a woman and a pretty tough looking one at that, who glared at me as I stepped in through the doorway and reluctantly put down her battered romance book. On seeing Dean striding behind me however she perked up considerably and sprang to her feet and the fact that she obviously had a thing for the fellers – and therefore was unlikely to try and assault me – seemed to put Dean's mind at ease. Although even _after_ we'd extracted ourselves from her, he still carried my bag up the stairs to my room. My really lovely, _cosy_ room, with neutral carpets, white sheets, no staining and genuine – albeit store bought – art. It was small but no less perfectly formed for it and I flopped down on the bed as Dean pulled my case in.

" _See_ ," I gestured around myself proudly, "Three stars baby. Read it and weep."

He snorted at me and rolled his eyes wearily, but finally he seemed to slightly relax. There were no creepy managers, no plastic statues and not so much as a blood-spot on the walls. Briefly he checked both the door lock and handle and then eventually he nodded,

"I guess it'll do."

"I'm _so_ glad you approve."

He glanced across and we both fell silent, knowing that this was it.

The final goodbye.

"So I guess I should wish you luck or whatever for when you come face to face with your old man. I hope it's – I hope it's how you want it and you get on with each other and stuff, you know?"

I didn't really blame him for not sounding hopeful. At least he was pretty consistent on that. Or maybe I just wasn't reading him properly. Maybe he was bummed about saying goodbye. I could at least _hope_ that was the real reason, right?

"Thanks," I nodded, "Um, what do I owe you?"

He blinked at me sharply,

" _Owe me_? For what?"

"You know, for the driving and the motel last night and all of the – uh, well – _stopping_ we did."

I decided to not say _throwing-up_ or _peeing_ and he obliged me by understanding what I meant. Implications aside however, Dean simply shrugged at me and looked down awkwardly,

"You don't owe me anythin'."

"Come on, I'm serious," I crossed to my case and unzipped the front pocket, pulling out my battered purse, "So half of the petrol, that's – what – seventy? Then the room was sixty – ,"

"Lauren, stop."

I didn't realise he'd crossed the space towards me until I felt his hand on mine with a jolt. It shivered right through me and I gasped just a little.

 _Holy crap, that was hot._

He pushed the notes back into my change pocket and brushed my hand away to zip it back up,

"I don't want your money, okay?"

"But – ,"

"Keep it. Treat your old man to dinner on me."

For a minute I simply blinked up at him incredulous and then I noticed the look on his face. He was smiling down at me and it was tender and gentle and I swallowed as my mouth abruptly went dry. If I had risen to my tiptoes I could easily have kissed him. Our heads were _that_ close.

"Um, okay," I whispered back.

Honestly I would have agreed to _anything_ he'd said to me and that feeling grew as he slowly reached his hand out and brushed it through my hair.

"Lauren?" he started, his voice gruff, "Be careful, alright?"

"Be careful with what?"

His heart? I could _definitely_ be careful with that. As long as he was careful with mine. In the end however, that wasn't what he was getting at and his very next sentence made that painfully clear.

"Meeting this guy you think is your father. Promise me you'll be careful."

"Oh. I – I will."

Then suddenly the moment between us was over as easily as if it hadn't taken place. Well, that wasn't true. It was easy for _him_. My knees on the other hand were still knocking together and it was a second before I realised he was fumbling in my coat.

"What – ," I frowned at him, "What are you doing?"

He pulled my phone free and held it out towards me,

"Unlock it."

In a daze I did as I was told and handed it back to him, still none the wiser but watching as he started to play with the buttons and screw about with – well – I didn't know. Eventually however he sensed my confusion because he glanced up,

"I'm giving you my number. So if you meet this guy and he isn't who you think he is, or he's a total fuckin' jackass or _all_ of the above – you call me, okay? I'll come and I'll get you."

"Dean, you don't need to – ,"

He handed it back, or more accurately _threw it_ in my directly and I scrabbled to pull it into my chest. Suddenly he was back to being awkward teenage-boy Dean and I was a little schoolgirl with pigtails in her hair.

"We already know you go looking for trouble. Just humour me alright? If you need it – it's there."

"Well," I shrugged, "In that case, thank you and not just for that but for _everything_. I haven't exactly been the _easiest_ passenger but – well – I owe you more than you'll ever know."

There, I'd done it and it was pretty damn final because it literally left us with nothing more to say. It hurt though. Wow. It was so _freaking_ difficult and made worse in that I honestly didn't want to him to go. But what could I do about that? Precisely nothing. I mean, the two of us were still practically strangers after all. Dean nodded, seemingly following the logic before turning and knocking his fist against the door,

"Lock it behind me okay?"

"I will."

The confirmation seemed to release him and he moved across the room before pausing in the hallway. Offering back one last little look he threw in a smile too which made my heart melt,

"Good luck Lauren. I mean that, okay? You deserve a little happiness. Besides, you're not _so_ bad."

Then he pulled the door closed behind him and the hollow _click_ of it echoed through the room. The second he was gone I wanted to fling it open and shout out after him to get him to come back. Surely I could think of _some_ vague reason? My suitcase wouldn't open, the shower knob was stuck. In the end however, I locked it as instructed and then fell back into the chair by the desk.

It had been a _crazy_ twenty-four hours and the biggest hurdle was still to come. Dean was gone. That was it. Suck it up kid. But my father was out there – ridiculously close – and the prospect of our meet-up gave me new purpose. I was going to meet my _father_ and in the chaos of storm fronts and just trying to _get_ there, I'd almost forgotten how huge that really was.

 _Shit_.

Was that the time? I needed to get ready and in an instant I pushed Dean to the back of my head, focusing on unpacking my meagre belongings and freshening myself up. God what had happened to my _hair_? It looked like a family of crows had tried to nest in it and my make-up was smudged.

 _Ugh_.

No wonder Dean had left. Fortunately by the time I stepped out of the shower I was feeling more human and _presentable_ too. After dressing and a little more pampering and preening I was ready and what was more, I was also resolved. As I climbed into the taxi I felt totally invincible.

I could do this. I had this _down_.

"So, where to?"

"The River Center please."

Adjusting the baseball cap he didn't have need for – given that it was gone nine o'clock at night – the driver swung us into the traffic and found me in the rear-view,

"Wrestling fan, huh?"

"Um, yeah, something like that."

"I'll tell you what, my kids man, they _love_ it. But I gotta say you don't strike me as the type."

Momentarily I felt myself bristle as if offended but I guessed he made a pretty good point. I didn't have the merchandise, I didn't have a placard and I was dressed more for dinner than an arena of sweaty men.

"Oh, I've got some – um – _business_ there tonight."

It was cagey and not particularly convincing but luckily the driver wasn't listening to me,

"I think maybe I'll grab a couple of shirts for my boys when I drop you off. They like The Shield."

"Oh really?" I answered, trying _not_ to sound clueless while simultaneously keeping the adrenaline at bay. I was pumped, I was positive, I was taking my life back.

Nothing and no one could stop me now.

Then the arena loomed up before us and my confidence melted like an ice cream in the sun.

 _Crap_.

I couldn't do this – I could _not_ do it. How had I ever thought I would? I was stupid, _stupid_ but also impoverished and with the taxi driver charging by the minute I clambered out as he stopped round the front and grinned as I paid him, like I was happy to be there. The smile lasted right until I rounded the corner and then slid off again.

 _Oh god. Oh god_.

Taking my phone out with trembling fingers, I dialled a quick number and held it to my ear.

"Pick up Kelly, come on pick up for me. I really, _really_ need you to be there."

It went to voicemail.

 _Shit_.

I was panicking.

But why would I not be? I had every right. I had no money, no friends and no family and I was standing in the dark in a city I didn't know. What I needed was for someone to talk some sense into me – to tell me what the hell to do – but with Kelly not answering, there went my options. Although maybe I did have _one_ more hope.

He answered on the third ring, sounding wary,

"Who's this?"

"It's me – um, you know, Lauren."

" _Lauren_?"

He sounded confused and slightly uncertain, like maybe he thought I'd just phoned for a chat. In the end however my emotions took over and my sorry explanation came out with a sob.

"I can't do it Dean. I just can't meet him."

"What?"

"I'm not brave enough."

"Come on. Yes you are."

For a guy who'd had a tearful call _sprung_ on him by a girl he thought he'd waved goodbye to, Dean seemed not only surprisingly switched on to it but also a good deal more patient than I'd thought.

"No, I'm not. I'm totally stupid. He doesn't even know I'm here."

"So? You knew that – that hasn't changed."

"What do I do?"

Dean sighed. Was he angry? Could I really blame him if he was?

"Nothin', you don't have to anythin', okay? Meet him, don't meet him. That's not my call. But if you don't want to do it, then fuckin' _don't_."

"But I _do_ want to meet him."

"So what's the damn problem?"

"I – I mean, I can't get in."

It wasn't just a statement either. I meant. I literally _could not_ get in. The entire arena was built like a fortress and kitted out with cameras and big steel doors. In my infinite wisdom I'd not bought a ticket – working on the delusion that I could just saunter in – and so the only real means of gaining any entry would have to be unlawful. But I didn't know how. Plus there was a man in a smart looking blazer who was stalking the perimeter with a radio in his hand. He kept stopping and looking at me too, which wasn't helping and my heartrate promptly jacked up a few beats more. Back on the end of the line however, Dean was still struggling to join up the threads,

"What do you mean you _can't get in_?"

"The doors are shut and there's security people – ,"

He cut me off sharply,

"Lauren, where _are_ you?"

"I'm outside the River Center."

There was a very brief pause and then things got more heated as for some reason I heard Dean almost physically explode.

"You're fuckin' _what_? Why would you be _here_?"

"You know why. I – I want to meet my father."

"Who is he Lauren? You fuckin' need to tell me. Who the actual fuck _is_ this guy?"

I blinked, completely thrown by his reaction and feeling anxious and teary all at once. I had phoned Dean to get a little reassurance and – initially – he'd given that. What had gone wrong? It was as my panic stepped up a notch however – _Dean hates me now, not good, not good_ – that another thought hit me and I gasped in amazement that put an actual stutter in my voice,

"Wait, y-you said _here_. You should have said _there_ b-but you said _here_. Dean – are _you_ here?"

A frustrated sigh sang down the line back at me until finally – _finally_ – Dean spoke again. His voice was a little more level for the most part, but I could tell it was still between anger and fatigue.

"Lauren, where are you and I mean _exactly_?"

I glanced up towards the towering arena and blinked for a second.

"I'm – uh – round the back? There's a door – um – I don't know. It's near a kind of loading bay? But everything's shut and there's a guy with a radio who on keeps looking at me. What if he _knows_?"

"Knows what?" Dean sighed and from the way his voice jerked a little I guessed he was walking.

"That I'm trying to get in. _Oh god_. He's coming towards me,"

"Lauren – ,"

But all of my composure had suddenly left me and as Security Guy frowned and took a step in my direction, I skittered back wide-eyed, which set off bells in his head.

"Hey, miss – ,"

I squeaked,

" _Shit. Dean_ – ,"

"I'm fuckin' _comin'_ ," he growled at me testily, "Hold on, alright?"

Although _hold on_ was a very relative term because while _I_ didn't have anything to hold onto, I was sure that Security Guy wouldn't think the same. In fact, I was certain that he would be holding onto _me_ next and pinning me down while calling the police.

My heart thumped loudly under my ribcage to the point that I thought it might possibly explode. What was the protocol for standing down a trained guard? Would he accept the excuse that I was trying to meet my dad? My dad that didn't know me _or_ know that I was out there? Probably not – I certainly wouldn't have – and _damn_ it if I'd left it too late to run.

"Excuse me, miss?"

He was almost on top of me and then suddenly there was a _click_ in the door to my right and a figure appeared from out it and shot a hand in my direction,

"Don't just fuckin' _stand_ there Lauren,"

Security Guy shouted at us both,

"Hey – _stop_ – ,"

Dean ignored him, grabbing me sharply and positively _hauling_ my ass inside. Letting go of my wrist as I staggered in past him, he turned and forcefully slammed the door shut. There was a thud as the Security Guy banged up against it followed by a series of annoyed sounding knocks. Dean turned towards me and I laughed in amazement,

"Oh my god, I can't believe you're – ,"

"Come on,"

He grabbed me again and marched me behind him, towing me across an empty parking garage. His mood didn't seem a whole lot better and he muttered as he walked, with me half-running alongside.

"The whole fuckin' place will be trying to find you. I need to work out what the hell I'm gonna do."

I followed him, silent, not wanting to upset him and not willing to tell him how happy I was. Dean was there so whatever else happened, I instantly knew I was going to be fine. Of course, I still had to meet with my father, but I'd made it _inside_.

The hard part was done.

* * *

 **Okay, so in the next chapter Lauren meets her father, so everyone who is wondering, you'll have to hang on just a little more!**


	7. Old Faces, New Faces

**So this is it. We meet Lauren's father. Final bets on who you think it is!**

 **Thank you as ever for my lovely reviews. To my guest reviewer, I'm so glad you're enjoying it. I have a friend in Germany and have visited several times, so hi *waves* nice to have you aboard! Samr09, I liked that chapter too, I kind of thought it would just be a filler but it turned into a whole other thing! Hopefully this one can match it.**

 **Eek!**

* * *

 **Old Faces, New Faces**

We ended up in what I would have termed a store cupboard had it clearly not said _Janitor's Office_ outside. It was cramped in there and we were standing in proximity which meant I got the full force of Dean's cologne. I also got the full force of Dean's anger and – all things considered – I preferred the cologne.

"This is crazy – it's fuckin' _crazy_. Why didn't you tell me who the fuck he was, huh? What – you didn't think that shit was important? He works for the _company_? Come on Lauren. _Fuck_."

We had only been in there a matter of seconds and I was still trying to get over the whole _you're here_ thing, which meant I was just a tiny bit sketchy on why he was ranting. I quickly cut him off.

"Um, I don't – I don't get why you're mad at me. Why are you angry? Wait, why are you _here_?"

He stopped and the fury was exchanged for incredulity,

"You seriously haven't worked that out?"

I blinked at him and then actually looked properly, running my eyes across him, head to toe. He was wearing black boots, half hidden beneath black cargo pants with a sexy – _stop it_ – black sleeveless top. His hair was gelled back and his wrists were taped firmly. I gaped in amazement,

"Are you – are you a _wrestler_?"

His expression shot back a sarcastic _well duh_ and I shook my head and stepped back into a shelf. It was stacked with various cleaning products and the nozzle of the toilet bleach dug into my head. I barely even noticed it, my mouth was wide open.

"B-but, why didn't you _tell_ me?"

"Are you kiddin' me? Lauren, I fuckin' _did_. I told you I was in Sports Entertainment, remember?"

"I thought that meant you owned a _bar_ , or – I don't know – handed out popcorn or whatever. I didn't think that meant you were actually a _wrestler_. If I'd known that, I'd have just _told_ you my father worked here."

Dean's expression suddenly darkened and as his hands grabbed my shoulders my heart launched for my throat.

"Oh, you're tellin' me more than that. Who _is_ he Lauren?"

"W-why do you need to know?"

"Because I fuckin' _brought you in here_ ," he hissed at me and his breath felt warm against my cheek, "Because I _work_ here Lauren and I know the people that work here, so if you want to know what your old man's like and how receptive he'll be to this little _reunion_ , then you're lookin' at the guy who's holdin' the answers. Now do you want to know or not?"

 _Okay, here goes nothing_.

"It's Hunter."

Dean blinked at me,

"Hunter," he repeated, then suddenly his face fell, "Wait a second – _Hunter's_ _your father_? Hunter Hearst Helmsley? Fuckin' company boss?"

I bit my lip and nodded,

"Uh huh."

Dean meanwhile seemed to be having a conniption and for almost a minute he couldn't seem to speak. Instead he expressed his obvious frustration by pacing back and forth across the so called _office_ space – which amounted to all of about three steps – clenching his fists and muttering incoherently while occasionally kicking out at the desk. I let him do – he obviously needed to – but despite his rage, I didn't feel scared. It was Dean and even though he was livid, I couldn't help but just feel _safe_.

"Jesus Lauren," he offered eventually, "This is not good – really not fuckin' good. How do you get yourself into these messes?"

I frowned, offended,

"Um, first of all _I don't_ and secondly why is this _not good_ exactly?"

"Did I mention he's the fuckin' _boss_?"

"You did and _I_ said I knew that already," I shrugged, "I told you, I looked him up."

Dean's eyes narrowed somewhat pityingly,

"Oh really? You _looked him up_ , huh? Tell me, what did the internet say about this business? What did it say about his psycho of a wife? Did it tell you how to survive in the wrestling world?"

I blinked at him,

"Well, I mean, it only said – ,"

"It didn't say _shit_ about any of that _Princess_ because no one out _there_ knows what it's like _here_. This place – this business – it's not like the real world. We don't throw office parties and go out for lunch. This place is like a war zone, you can't trust anyone and the closer you are to the top of the mountain, the more people there are to try and push you off."

Throughout his speech he'd been stepping towards me, eyes darkly narrowed and coldly intense. He backed me right up until the cleaner bottles jangled and there was nowhere else left for me to go. We were standing nose to nose – well more like nose to forehead – and I could smell the mint from his ever present gum. His cologne swirled around me and swept me up completely and despite myself my breathing increased. I knew he was trying to frighten me out of it – and I had to admit, it was working pretty well – but more than that I felt _aroused_ and the mixture was bewildering.

"Lauren, go home."

"What?" I blinked at him, "No, I can't – ,"

"Look, for once I'm not trying to be an asshole. I'm trying to help you here, alright? This is too dangerous for you Princess, trust me. When it comes to wrestling, I know my shit."

"Dangerous for you maybe," I countered almost fiercely, "But I'm _not_ you. I'm not here for the championship cup – ,"

" _Belts_ Lauren, we wrestle for _belts_."

"I knew that. Anyway, why does it matter? I just want to meet my father – that's all."

Dean ran his hands through his hair and growled wearily and despite the situation, my butterflies flipped,

" _That's_ why it's dangerous. Don't you fuckin' get it? Don't you understand what we do?"

"You wrestle."

" _Other_ than wrestle – me, Seth and Roman – do you get what it is we do?"

He stared at me intently and I shook my head back at him, suddenly feeling impossibly small,

"No."

"We protect your father Lauren. We back him up against the crazies who don't like the way he runs things round here and trust me there are _a lot_ of crazies – the kind that would _love_ that the boss has a daughter who's not only pretty but green as fuckin' grass."

I paused for a moment to drink in his sentence, caught between several emotions at once. He thought I was pretty? That was a good thing but he also thought people might use me as well. Surely he wasn't serious? What kind of company _was_ this? Maybe I shouldn't have been there after all. In the silence Dean licked his lips and coughed lightly, suddenly seeming awkward as hell,

"Look, I don't want to see you get hurt, alright Princess? _Fuck it_ but at this point, I'm almost weirdly fond of you."

Boldly I wrapped my fingers around his pinky and his head jerked up in what I took to be surprise. My hand felt tiny and fragile in comparison and I jiggled it a little as I offered up a smile,

"Dean, I don't want a job here okay? I'm really not looking to join this crazy life. I just want to meet him, _once_. That's all. I want to know the other half of who I am. _Please_ Dean, I'm begging you. Help me do that. Help me figure out where I belong."

He stared at me with big blue eyes and I held his gaze, not daring to blink. For a second I thought he was going to deny me but then eventually he groaned and nodded his head,

" _Fuck_. Okay."

"Okay?"

" _Okay_. I'll go and find out where he is. But do me a favour and stay here while I'm gone, alright? The last thing we need is you being arrested. Hell of a fuckin' introduction _that_ would be."

Without even thinking, I threw my arms around him and stood on my tiptoes to kiss at his cheek,

"Thank you, thank you."

He shrugged me off squirming and tried to look frustrated,

"Would you cut it out? I knew I would regret lettin' you tag along with me. Worst mistake of my fuckin' life," he was crossing the room as he ranted – which didn't take long – but he stopped at the door and pointed my way, "Lauren, _stay here_. Do you understand me?"

I nodded and threw him a chirpy salute and he left with a snort and a shake of his head. I hoped it was amusement but I didn't hold my breath on that, since it was more likely to be colossal irritation instead. In the moment however I didn't care about any of it.

It was actually happening.

I was meeting my dad.

My emotions were everywhere and I was happy and nervous and a little bit _nauseous_ at the same time. What would I say to him? How did I start? Would he like me?

 _Oh god, oh god_.

Questions flew around my head like wasps and I was so busy listening to their panicky humming that I physically jumped when the door opened up. A whiskery faced stopped short at the sight of me, hovering in the doorway with a frown of alarm. It wasn't Dean and it certainly wasn't Hunter, it was the owner of the cupboard – sorry, _office_.

"What in the world – ,"

On the spur of moment I decided to improvise,

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I was looking for towels. There's been a slight _spillage_. You know how it is. _Anyway_ someone pointed me in here and – is this your office? Wow, it's great. Do you like it in here? I've never had an office. Well, I wouldn't because I'm a waitress. Not much use for one, right?"

The janitor watched me in utter bewilderment as I both gabbled and simultaneously slid towards the door. Fortunately he didn't try to stop my exit – probably because he thought I was insane – and I slipped back out into the corridor still nattering and holding a box of tissues I didn't want.

"Well, I mean, this has been _lovely_ , but I'd better go and clean up that – uh – _spillage_ , now."

I didn't breathe again until I was safely round the corner at which point I let out a long shaky sigh. Okay, so that had _definitely_ been a close one but in ducking it my problems had suddenly become worse. I was out in the open, Dean was absent and there were people _everywhere_ buzzing around. People walking, talking, running about with headsets and every last one of them seemed to _belong_. I on the other hand was backed into the brickwork and gazing around hopelessly.

I had to find Dean.

As it turned out however, that wasn't very easy. Mostly because the place was a maze. Corridors opened up from every direction and each one looked stark and exactly the same. Never in my life had I felt so _disjointed_ and my heart pounded frantic and desperate in my ears. Where was I even supposed to _start_ looking? What if I got lost and never got out? Then I heard Dean's voice bounce right off the brickwork and I skidded to a halt and quickly looked round. He was standing halfway down a corridor to the left of me and chatting ever gruffly to a member of staff.

"So you haven't seen him around?" he was saying and – _yep_ – he was still busy trying to track Hunter down, "Yeah, tell him I've been lookin' for him. It's important, alright?"

Stepping away from the person beside him, he looked up, saw me and then stopped himself dead. I didn't need to hear him to know what he was thinking andraising my hands, I headed his way.

I got three steps before freezing again suddenly and my mouth fell open.

 _Oh. My. God._

Striding in from the corridor to my right was a tall suited figure I recognised at once. He was solidly built and walked like he owned the place, which on some level was true since he was technically the boss. More than that though, he was also _my father_ because coming my way, was Hunter himself.

Almost at once my heartbeat exploded and a loud buzz of static took over my ears. What did I say to him? Where did I start things? How did I even say hello? Plunging a hand into the deep folds of my jacket, I shakingly pulled the envelope loose, figuring that my mother's account of the situation would probably be a better explanation than my own. He looked up momentarily as he stalked in towards me and his eyes landed somewhat blankly on my face. I opened my mouth to speak,

 _Here goes nothing_.

Then suddenly another voice chimed in instead,

"Hey! _You_."

I barely had time to turn towards it before the security guy had me pressed up against the wall. He knocked into me hard and drove the air out of me, while gabbling his frantic apologies to the boss,

"Saw her sneaking in through a back door, I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again."

Dean slid in from around the corner and on seeing Hunter standing there he froze. His eyes slid towards me, not sure how to help me and I gasped as the guy roughly twisted my arm.

"Hey – ," Dean snarled but he was quickly beaten to it as a tall expensive suit arrived at my side,

"Let her go."

 _Hunter?_

"But, sir – ,"

" _Let her go damn it_."

The hands dropped off me and the security guard stepped back a bit, helped a little further by a sly dig from Dean. As I rose up off the wall and shook my arm painfully, a big hand lowered onto it and began to probe the joint,

"Hey, are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

It was Hunter.

My _actual_ father and he was worried about me.

"Oh, no. I – I'm alright."

Except for the fact that my insides were dancing and simultaneously turning over in shock. Taking a chance I looked up towards him in time to see something shift in his eyes. I wasn't sure what it was exactly but it _almost_ looked like recognition of some sort.

"Jesus, I knew it," he swallowed in astonishment, "Pamela Hope, that's not you, right?"

I gaped at him in total amazement, not quite able to hold in my grin. The whole thing was even better than I'd hoped for. He remembered her – he genuinely remembered my mom.

"No. Well yes – I mean, _sort of_ anyway – I'm her daughter. I'm Lauren Hope."

Hunter blinked and shook his head,

"Right. Sorry, it's just – you look so much like her."

"That's okay," I answered quickly and _wow_ was this completely surreal. I was talking to my _father_ about my _mother_ , "I'm just glad you remember her,"

"Lauren wasn't it?" Hunter asked and I nodded, "Your mother's a pretty difficult woman to forget."

His use of the present tense made my smile falter – even in the face of his conspiratorial grin. Instead I bit down on my bottom lip harshly and tried to stop the lump from welling in my throat. My voice came out quiet and a little bit scratchy.

"Yes she was."

" _Was_?"

"She died – six weeks ago."

For a second Hunter looked genuinely grief-stricken and I found his reaction strangely sweet. He didn't just remember her, he _still_ cared about her, which meant maybe he would also care about me. Behind me I felt the tips of Dean's fingers press in lightly against the small of my back. It was a tiny, unseen little gesture of comfort, but I leaned myself into it nevertheless.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hunter offered softly and I could see the emotion swirling in his eyes. It made me feel like we had a connection. We were sharing something. We were pooling our grief.

"Thank you."

Looking up and seeing Dean hovering, Hunter briskly cleared his throat. In the blink of an eye _The Boss_ was in control again and any vestige of mournfulness was gone.

"So, is there a reason we're getting a visit from Pamela's daughter? It must be something pretty important if you were willing to sneak in here and risk being caught."

"Um, well – you _could_ say that," I stumbled, my heartbeat _racing_ like it was running for the bus. Awkwardly, I fingered the now-crumpled letter, but I didn't care, it was still my proof. Which just left the small matter of having to tell him and as the nausea rose up and threatened to take hold, I breathed and went with it, "Um, this is kind of difficult – I don't know how to _approach_ this, so, I'm just going to say it. _Um_. I _think_ I'm your – ,"

"Hunter? What's happening – what's going on here?"

We turned towards the voice and my heart dropped instantly, virtually crashing into my toes. Walking towards us – no scratch that, _stalking_ – was the no nonsense figure of Stephanie McMahon. She did _not_ look happy and as her eyes narrowed my way, Hunter moved to cut her off,

"Steph – ,"

"Who's this?"

I swear the woman was part _eagle_ and the sharpness of her gaze made me actually step back. Unfortunately Dean was still hovering behind me and I stood on his toes which made him grunt. In short, it was the _wrong_ time for the security guard to speak up again, but that's exactly what he did.

"This is the girl who forced entry."

I gaped at him, fighting the urge to argue back.

 _No I didn't – Dean opened the door for me_.

But neither wanting to land him in it or somehow make things worse for myself, I bit my lip and scowled at him fiercely. Meanwhile Stephanie scowled at _me_.

"Then call the police and let them deal with her."

The security guard moved forward with purpose and I backed right up against Dean's chest. I felt his muscles grow tense underneath me and knew he was caught between protecting me or not. Luckily however, he didn't have to choose between them, because Hunter addressed us in one clean sweep,

"That isn't necessary,"

"But Hunter – ,"

"I know her."

Stephanie's gaze narrowed so dramatically that for a second I thought she'd shut her eyes,

" _How_?"

"Her mother is – ," he flinched a little and winced at me slightly, "Her mother _was_ a friend."

The implication of _friend_ didn't sit well, although it took a second for it to sink in. In the meantime my attention was drawn to two figures who had moved in behind her and were staring with dual frowns. Both men were tall, with long dark hair and muscles and both of them were dressed exactly like Dean. Their eyes moved up to his discreetly and I could felt his body start to relax. It confused me for a moment, but then it clicked suddenly. Seth and Roman. These were Dean's friends.

"That doesn't explain what she's doing here Hunter," Stephanie interjected, "Or why she broke in."

 _I did not._

"Stephanie," Hunter offered back evenly, "That's what I was just about to ask. She was in the middle of telling me when you showed up here. Calm down sweetie and hear her out,"

But evidently she wasn't the _calm down_ type and instead of taking her husband's suggestion she folded her arms and simply snapped,

"Well? We're listening."

I blinked and my heart lurched dramatically.

 _Oh crap._

There was no way this could end well. It had been bad enough trying to explain it to Hunter. Now I had to say it in front of his _wife_? Not to mention Dean's two brothers and a security guard who had tried to break my arm. I wouldn't – or more to the point I _couldn't_ – and faced with the weight of their combined expectations, I shook my head and almost fell apart.

"I – I – ,"

"She's got a letter for you," Dean put in suddenly, "Needed to hand it over to the boss."

As he spoke he was pushing my elbow and propelling my hand out – letter and all. Hunter reached over and plucked it from my fingers, unfolding it before starting to skim-read the text. My heart stopped – or, at least it certainly _felt_ like it – and my breath gathered up until I felt like I would burst.

 _Wow._

Was it me, or did Hunter read slowly? Although at the same time I never wanted him to end because when he did the world would be different – _my_ world would be different – everything would change. I scanned his face, waiting for the moment and – _yep_ – there it was. My blood ran cold. He looked completely horrified and bewildered and amazed and I fought down the urge to apologise for it all. It wasn't just _my_ life that was changing – he was a _father_. I kept on forgetting that. I wasn't sure how.

"Hunter?" Stephanie put in worriedly, "Sweetie? Tell me? What is it? What's wrong?"

When the answer wasn't forthcoming however, she simply seized the letter and started reading it herself. Hunter let her do it – he seemed pretty dumbstruck – before turning to look at me,

"How long have you known?"

"Not long. I found out a couple of weeks back."

"When Pamela – when she – ,"

I nodded and he stopped. In the moment I was grateful that no more words were needed, or at least no words were needed between _us_. Stephanie however had a whole _lot_ to say about it and none of it was especially good.

"No – just _no_. I mean, this is ridiculous. This isn't _real_ Hunter. You can't think that? She needs to go, we need the police here and if you won't call them, then I'll do it myself,"

As she spoke she was stomping towards me, flooded with venom as she flung the letter back.

"Steph – ," Hunter put in as a few passing staff members slowed a little and turned their heads. We were starting to draw unwelcome attention although his furious wife was too angry to take note,

"Do you think you can come here and pull this little _stunt_ on us? Do you think we're stupid?"

I shook my head,

" _N-no_."

As my legs began to tremble beneath me and the hue of my cheeks bloomed from pale to red, Dean's touch moved from reassuring to supportive as he virtually held me upright.

"Steady Princess."

His whisper didn't work.

Stephanie was furious, actually _furious_ and I couldn't stand much more of the assault. Fortunately however, as she opened her mouth to start again, a shout made us jump and completely shut her up.

" _Stephanie_ ," Hunter bellowed, "That is _enough_. We're not doing this here. We'll talk about this calmly _in the office_. No more, alright – is that clear?"

For a moment she simply stared at her husband. Then – without a word – she turned and stalked off. It was mesmerizing and I continued to watch her until I registered a movement out of the corner of my eye. Hunter was coming towards me swiftly and Dean stepped back as he moved in close,

"Thank you Ambrose, I'll take it from here."

 _Oh god, don't go_ I wanted to cry at him but then Hunter placed his hand on my arm and started to gently coax me towards him, leading me after his furious wife.

"Come on," he offered, surprisingly softly, "I'm sure we can figure this whole thing out."

I let him guide me along in a stupor, not really knowing how the hell I felt. As we rounded the corner I glanced in Dean's direction and he shrugged at me mildly.

What had I done?

* * *

 **So, there you have it. Her father is Hunter. Skovko you were right. Hope that didn't make it kind of a disappointment? If it was, hopefully the rest of the story will make that up! Let me know what you think guys. How is the news going to go down?**


	8. The Wicked Stepmother

**So I'm going to be honest, there's not much Dean in this one. No, I don't like it either but it had to be done.**

 **Skovko, as you can probably tell by the title of this chapter, Stephanie has a pretty big role in this one and she actually features pretty heavily throughout the story as all of the drama begins to unfold. I'll let you decide if she's sympathetic or evil though. I'm not really sure that I even know!**

 **Samr09 glad you liked the last one, hopefully this one can fill in some more of the gaps!**

 **Happy reading all.**

* * *

 **The Wicked Stepmother**

Unsurprisingly Hunter's office was a hell of a lot better than the janitor had got and although it was bland and a little impersonal, the desk and seats and the leather made it work. It didn't just feel like a make-shift workplace, it felt like somewhere that housed the boss. Or in this case _both_ of them, since Stephanie was there already, arms-folded and glaring like she wished I was dead. She probably did and I didn't really blame her. She had no reason – no reason _whatsoever_ – to trust me and even less of a reason to be nice.

Hunter however seemed to be approaching things differently and as I froze on the threshold in obvious terror, he placed a hand on the small of my back, smiled reassuringly and guided me in,

"It's fine," he murmured, "We're just going to talk."

His touch wasn't quite as comforting as Dean's was and nor did it send electricity through my veins, but at least he wasn't shouting or staring daggers at me and that was more than a little relief. Especially since the same could _not_ be said of Stephanie, who was already busy punching buttons on her phone.

"Steph," Hunter intoned warningly as he steered me into one of the seats. The leather was plush and I sunk down into it, relieved to be off my shaking feet, "What are you doing?"

My relief was short-lived.

"I'm calling the police Hunter,"

 _She was what?_

My stomach flipped over and evidently so did Hunter's because he quickly skirted in around the desk and approached her, his hands up, like he was stalking a tiger.

"Steph – ,"

"I don't care who she _says_ she is Hunter, she still broke in here, so I'm calling the police."

He reached out and took the phone from her gently before setting it down on the edge of the desk. I held my breath as her sharp eyes snapped up at him but to his credit he didn't even flinch and his steady gaze seemed to soften hers slightly. Then he took her hands in his,

"Sweetie, listen to me. I need you to hold off on that. I know she snuck in here and that wasn't a great start, but we need to discuss what's going on here, okay?"

"I already _know_ what's going on here. This _person_ – ," she gestured at me with disgust and I shrank back into the leather with a squeak, "Is pretending that she's your long-lost daughter and for some reason you're actually playing along. What the hell is _wrong_ with you Hunter? Haven't we been through this before? Haven't you seen my father go through this? Over and over and over again? It's the same old story and there's never any truth in it. All anybody _ever_ wants is money."

I blinked a little, startled,

"I don't want – ,"

" _No_ ," she shouted, stalking towards me, a finger outstretched, "You don't get to talk to me."

Luckily Hunter was there to catch her, wrapping an arm around her waist and gently propelling her several steps backwards while simultaneously drawing the attention his way.

"Steph – ,"

" _What_?"

Her husband sighed heavily,

"I know it's happened before. I _know_. But this time – this time it's different, okay?"

" _How_ is it different?"

"Because I knew her mother," Hunter replied evenly and his otherwise calm exterior cracked a little and his breathing seemed to slightly hitch, "A long time ago. I mean, _a long_ time ago. It was back before I made my debut. We were practically kids but – yeah – I knew her."

"You mean you dated her?" Stephanie asked and Hunter nodded, shrugging in apology.

It couldn't exactly have been _easy_ for him to tell his furious wife about his old flame, but regardless of the difficulty he was actually doing it and that made me kind of believe I could trust him. He was honest at least and I appreciated that.

"Yeah, we dated for about four years."

Briefly there was a pause as we registered _that_ detail, which not even I had known anything about. _Four years?_ That was longer than I'd expected. Stephanie however was clearly elsewhere and when she spoke again there was a frisson of desperation that made me feel a stab of remorse. No way in hell could this be easy on her, which was why she was fighting it with everything she'd got.

"But that doesn't mean anything Hunter. It doesn't mean she's not still lying. It's just a hook to get you to believe her – the fact that there's already history there. I mean, did this woman – ,"

"Pamela," I offered quietly. Stephanie ignored me and ploughed right on,

"Did she ever _mention_ being pregnant?"

"No," Hunter dropped down onto the desk edge heavily and braced his hands against his knees, "She didn't say a word but given how I ended things, she _could_ have been pregnant but just figured I wouldn't care."

"Why?"

I was so enraptured with the unfolding narrative that I spoke before even realising I had. Fortunately this time Stephanie didn't shout at me, but Hunter sighed and tightened his jaw. Evidently the explanation wasn't pretty, but I was sure I could handle whatever it was. After all, there was so many gaps in the story that I was willing to take almost _anything_ he had. He looked at me briefly and his stiff gaze softened,

"It was – uh – it was right around the time I got accepted into wrestling school and it wasn't just _any_ wrestling school either, it was a great one. I mean, I couldn't believe my luck. I thought I was going to be the next big thing and because I was young and pretty damn stupid, I decided that I didn't want to be dragged down. I didn't want any ties to my old life, so I just kind of _ditched_ everybody back home and – I'm not proud of it – but that included your mother. I never spoke to her again."

"Oh,"

I blinked not sure what else to say to him, but processing each detail and _god_ it made sense. Especially the way my mom had never talked about him despite reassuring me that I had come from love. Seeing my expression, Hunter coughed and shifted himself a little bit closer,

"She didn't talk about it at all?"

I shook my head,

"She honestly didn't and because of that I guess I never asked. Not that I wasn't kind of _curious_ or anything, but I was always okay that it was just her and me. I mean I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. My childhood was happy."

"I'm glad to hear that," Hunter smiled and the fact that he meant it made me smile back. It actually felt nice and in turn I was optimistic, which lasted precisely until Stephanie spoke back up,

"Really? Because if you're so happy, _why_ show up here?"

This time however I was ready to face her and buoyed by my new understanding with Hunter, I turned towards her and took a deep breath.

"Because for the first time ever I'm completely on my own and I don't know if you've tried it lately but it turns out it's really, _really_ hard. I mean, before it happened – before she _went_ – I thought I'd be okay with it, you know? But it feels like I have nothing to belong to anymore and I _suppose_ I was sort of hoping that – ,"

"Well you don't belong here."

The words hit me like I'd been slapped in the face and I actually gasped.

So did Hunter,

" _Steph_ – ,"

"What? You're telling me you think she _does_? For all we know this is _still_ just some angle – ,"

"It's _not_ ," I hissed, hot-cheeked with emotion, "I said I don't _care_ about your damn money and I meant it. That's _never_ been what this is about."

"Really? So you've got _no_ money troubles? You're not _at all_ struggling to make ends meet?"

I paused and shifted across the seat in discomfort,

"Well I mean – I don't have a _lot_. But that doesn't mean I want somebody else's – ,"

"Guess what sweetie? That's what they _all_ say."

"But I'm not _like_ that," I hissed, getting desperate and – _oh god_ – a little bit tearful as well, "All I wanted was to meet my father. Why won't you believe me? It _isn't_ a lie."

"Hey, hey – ,"

Hunter put his hand down on my shoulder and I was so overwhelmed by the morsel of comfort that I promptly and mortifyingly started to cry. I just couldn't help it, the whole thing was too much for me. Why did it have to be so _hard_? I desperately wanted my mother but in the end I had to make do with my father instead, _shushing_ and massaging my back in little circles. Actually it didn't feel so bad and when I finally managed to pull myself together, even Stephanie seemed to be _slightly_ pacified. In fact, in the face of my tear-stained reaction, she'd clearly mildly re-thought her whole stance,

"Fine. So maybe _you_ think that's true. But that still doesn't prove it and nor does that letter. I mean, what's to say your mother didn't lie?"

As my fists twitched dangerously, Hunter drew a breath in,

"Steph – ,"

"I'm serious. How do you know?"

"Because would _your_ dying mother spin you a lie as the last thing she ever did on this earth?"

As my passionate answer bounced off the brickwork, Stephanie swallowed and looked a little shamed-faced, as if even she realised she'd taken it one step too far,

"No."

" _No_ ," I repeated coolly, but with my fists still balled tightly, "Well mine wouldn't either. It _isn't_ a lie."

"Pamela wasn't like that," Hunter added and _wait_ – was he defending my mother? "Not when I knew her and honestly Steph? I can't imagine she changed so much that she would ever do something like this. It's not her style."

"I don't believe this. You're taking _her_ side?"

For a moment I thought that _Stephanie_ might cry and I suddenly couldn't help but sympathise with Hunter. There he was with his wife and – _possible_ – daughter and each of them was sitting on the verge of full tears. It was like walking on a tightrope with a minefield on either side of it and sensing it, he carefully held his hands up.

Right away he was back to pacifying the tiger.

"I'm not taking anyone's side, alright? I'm just trying to _think_ about this here. I mean, obviously we can't pretend this hasn't happened – and I'm sorry but _nobody's_ being arrested – so unless you want to do this all night, I suggest we come up with some kind of plan."

Stephanie's answer was unsurprisingly instant,

"She needs to agree to a paternity test."

"Okay," Hunter nodded, "That sounds fair. Lauren, would you agree to that?"

"Uh, sure," I nodded, happy to agree to _anything_ provided it would help to smooth things over a little bit. Besides, I was confident my mother hadn't lied to me, so it was basically it was just a slightly scary formality, "Can I ask what that _consists_ of exactly?"

"A pin-prick of blood," Stephanie snipped back at me and in response I obviously pulled a face, "What? Are you surprised by the fact that I know that? Don't be. My family's done this before. You really think a man as powerful as my father _hasn't_ had a paternity scare in his time?"

"I – I hadn't really thought about it."

She turned dismissively and swept up her phone,

"I'll send our doctor round to your hotel room. You're staying in town, right?"

I nodded,

"Uh, yep, but I only paid for one night so – _um_ – how long do the results usually take to come back?"

"A couple of days."

"Oh."

Hearing my tone, Hunter blinked down at me and I blushed under his scrutiny.

"Is that alright?"

"Um, I mean I _guess_ – ,"

"I knew it," Stephanie barked and – _oh god_ – was she laughing? Surely that was a bad sign, "You can't afford to stay here can you? _Ha_. Who said it wasn't about the money?"

My fists balled again,

"I can manage, okay?"

Then suddenly Hunter swept in smoothly and quelled the brewing storm before it had begun.

"The company will pay for you."

"Huh?"

" _Excuse me_?"

The latter outburst had been straight from Stephanie and unsurprisingly it had also been the most loud. In response Hunter turned and caught her hand calmly, either to ground her or to stop her from punching him – or, more likely – from punching _me_.

"It's in our best interests Steph, I mean think about it. Until we get an answer either way, we need to try and keep her close. We need to make sure we _manage_ the situation and stop her from taking this thing to the press – ,"

"Uh, I wouldn't – ,"

But Hunter ignored me and I suddenly realised that maybe it wasn't about that at all. I at least hoped _Hunter_ knew I wasn't like that but with Stephanie he needed to make the hard sell and dangling the tabloids and security of her company was probably the best way forward he knew.

"So why not let her travel with us, huh? Just until we know for sure? I mean, she could work backstage and make herself useful," he turned to me, "Do you think that's something you could do? Run errands, get towels, make drinks? That kind of thing?"

Wait, was he offering me a _job_? Abruptly I heard Dean and my earlier assurances that I wasn't looking to work there.

 _Shit_.

If I said yes he would go through the roof, but at the same time how in the world could I say no? In the end therefore, I chose to say neither. Not _directly_ anyway,

"Well, back home I used to be a waitress so – ,"

Hunter waved a hand at me,

"Great, there you go."

Apparently I was already hired but far from being happy, I instead felt weak-kneed. My heart lurched with dread and my head began spinning as I thought back to the multiple warnings from Dean. What the hell was I letting myself in for? I couldn't do this. No way could it work.

Stephanie however had other concerns,

"What do we do when the results come back negative?"

She seemed pretty positive that _no_ would be the outcome and even though I knew she was wrong, I couldn't help but admire that defiant streak in her. Hunter took a breath,

"In that case we fly her home and nothing more is mentioned, _ever_."

It was said to me as much as anyone and I nodded, figuring it sounded pretty fair. There was another question on the tip of my tongue though and I took the chance and asked it aloud,

"But, I mean – if they come back _positive_?"

"We'll cross that bridge when, or _if_ we even get there."

"Okay," I nodded before suddenly feeling awkward as Hunter began to rub his wife's arms up and down, "So what happens now?"

Stephanie glared at me,

"What were you were expecting – a family dinner? You go back to your hotel and wait for the blood test and in the meantime you don't say a word to _anyone_. If you do, I'll be calling those lawyers I mentioned earlier and making sure they earn their keep."

Her words hit me hard and I nodded back mutely, suddenly envisioning standing in court. Luckily Hunter was a little more soothing and as his wife spun away to make a sharp phone call, he slid off the desk and came to stand in front of me,

"Just, try and get some rest tonight, huh?"

"Well," I smiled, "I can definitely try to but I'm pretty sure that's going to be kind of impossible."

"Do it for me," he intoned gently and it was so far and away the most genuine moment that everything else seemed to melt away around me. For the first time I felt like it _might_ be okay. The pair of us seemed to have an unspoken connection and for a very first meeting, that _had_ to be good.

" _There_ ," Stephanie announced, breaking the moment loudly, "I've organised a ride for you back to your hotel _and_ because I'm a generous person, I've told them to take you to the next venue as well. No need to thank me, I mean, after all, it's the _least_ a prospective step-mother can do."

A knock at the door made me jump against the leather and I turned towards it in shades of alarm. _Oh god_. Who was that? Had they called back security? Fortunately the answer to both was _no_ which I found out as Stephanie swung the door open and revealed the scowling figure of Dean. My heart flipped over in a happy little circle and I almost giggled.

 _Thank god. Dean_.

His eyes flickered towards me but his face didn't alter and I was impressed by how little he actually gave away. Seth and Roman were standing behind him and as Stephanie waltzed over with a smug little smile, I realised that this was her attempt at punishment. She was sending her attack dogs to be my chauffeurs.

I almost chuckled – poor old Stephanie – little did she know happy I was.

"Steph?" Hunter asked and his wife smiled back sweetly,

"Don't worry, they know _exactly_ what to do."

Sighing heavily, Hunter helped me upright and then steered me gently towards the door. Dean stepped aside to let me slide past him but stopped as the boss' hand caught his arm.

"Get her back _safely_ ," he ordered gruffly and Dean smiled so winningly actual _dimples_ appeared.

"Sure thing boss," he bounced back cheerily and then he spun and returned his fingers to my back and – _yep_ – there it was, a massive jolt of electricity. It made me feel safe, it made me feel warm and I let them direct me into the corridor and back into the maze of white brick walls.

 _Dean was here_.

I felt so happy. Or at least until I realised his friends had fallen back and his touch had moved from directional to angry which was echoed in the tense-sounding tone of his voice,

"You and me need to have a little talk Lauren."

 _Uh oh._

It seemed my night wasn't over and I was out of the frying pan and straight into the fire.

* * *

 **Oh dear, Dean is angry with her. How do you think that's going to go?**


	9. A Rush Of Blood

**Here we are again ladies and gents (mostly ladies though, am I right?!)**

 **Skovko, thank you (as ever) for your review. I'm so glad you're enjoying this. Yep, they definitely need to have a talk, which they do in this chapter. We** _ **kind**_ **of move things along just a little in this part. Or maybe not. See what you think.**

 **Lightning-in-the-dark, thank you for your review and thank you for commenting on my grammar. I'm a proper grammar nut so I obsess over it and if I read it back and find a mistake it's like a knife through my heart (only kidding, well, sort of!) A Shield reunion would be amazing, but I'm not sure I trust the writers not to screw it up! Hence the wonders of fanfiction I guess! Anyway, hope you enjoy the rest of the story. Let me know!**

* * *

 **A Rush of Blood**

The ride back to the hotel was – to say the least – awkward.

Dean was up front both driving _and_ ranting while I was in the backseat barely saying a word. Seth and Roman sat in silence on either side of us and although it was obvious they could hear every bit of it, they were doing a great job in pretending they were deaf. Maybe they were used to Dean's angry monologues, but I still wasn't and my frown made that clear.

"What the hell happened in there Lauren? Because about a fuckin' _hour_ ago you promised me you weren't interested in takin' a job with the company. Then suddenly I've got fuckin' Stephanie on the line tellin' us to drive you to the show tomorrow night so you can – and I'm quotin' here – _help them out_."

"It's _not_ a job," I interjected hotly the second Dean finally paused for breath, "Well, not exactly."

"Not exactly, huh?"

"I mean, so okay, Hunter _might_ have said something about towels and making drinks and things like that but – ,"

Dean groaned heavily,

" _Jesus Christ_ – ,"

"But we didn't actually talk about hours or money or contracts, so it's not a _job_ job."

To my mind it sounded like reasonable logic but Dean's wry snort said otherwise,

"Welcome to the business. What did I tell you? It isn't like the regular world. Whether you realise it or not – and how the fuck can you _not_ have – you've gone and got yourself a job and once they suck you in, ain't no fuckin' way out of it."

"It isn't like that," I blinked feeling sideswiped. Did he always have to be so bleak? "They just want me close for when the test results come back in. I mean, if I just start to _hang around_ backstage with nothing to do, wouldn't people ask questions?"

"Maybe but what happens _after_ that Lauren? What happens when the results come back?"

"Um, he wasn't sure – ,"

"Or more he likely didn't tell you, because trust me – if you _are_ his kid – ain't no way he's sendin' you back to Minnesota – ,"

"Wisconsin,"

Dean growled,

"Look _whatever_ , the bottom line is the boss' going to want to keep you around, which means – goin' back to my earlier point – you're stuck and ain't no way you're gettin' out of it."

I scowled at the back of his hairstyle stubbornly,

"Well maybe I don't want to."

"Lauren, _don't_ – ,"

"I'm _serious_ Dean. What else do I have? I've got no other family, I quit my job to come out here and the only thing I own is my mother's house. All I have back home is Kelly and she's married _and_ pregnant so she's got her own life. Why is it so bad that I'm trying to start over – why is it so bad if I start over _here_?"

Roman shifted uncomfortably beside me and as the plush leather creaked, he let out a sigh. I wasn't sure if it was driven by the heat of the conversation in general or the fact that he realised I'd said the wrong thing. Glancing up towards the rear view mirror, I watched Dean's eyes twitch angrily.

 _Wrong thing_.

"What part of _this is dangerous_ do you not get? This business will fuckin' eat you alive."

"Well maybe you need to have a little more faith in me."

"Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?" Dean half-exploded, "How do you suggest I do that, huh? I mean, so far we have spent _one_ night together and you got so wasted you were almost fuckin' _raped_."

He stopped as the words tumbled out of his mouth but not quite soon _enough_ to stop them falling and in response the whole car seemed to inhale and then abruptly fell into silence. My cheeks burnt hot and I dropped my head down, not really wanting the others to see. It would have been a bad enough conversation had Dean and I been alone, but surrounded by his monolithic best friends it was about as embarrassing as anything _could_ be and although I assumed he'd already told them, it wasn't how I wanted our introduction to go. I bit my lip so hard I almost drew blood and then jumped as a hand fluttered down across my shoulder,

"Easy baby girl," Roman soothed softly and as Dean's eyes flickered remorsefully in the rear view, Seth got in on the act as well,

" _Geez_ man, ease up on her will you? At least until they get the damn results back. I mean, not that I think she's lying or whatever, but you might want to calm down until we actually _know_."

Dean let out a heavy sigh and it was almost like he was letting out the pent-up frustration,

"Lauren – ,"

I shook my head, I didn't want to hear it and Roman grumbled,

"Give her a moment."

We drove the rest of the way to my motel in silence and with Roman's hand on my shoulder for a good three quarters of the way. When I finally looked up he offered me a smile and really, for a guy of his proportions, he managed to project a pretty reassuring front. So much so that by the time Dean pulled up outside the lobby, I was almost – _almost_ – fully composed.

"Thank you," I smiled and he nodded back softly, "It was nice to meet you – you too Seth."

"Uh, yeah, right back at you."

Dean took a deep breath,

"Listen, Lauren – ,"

But before he had the chance to speak, I had flung the door open and was disappearing out of it as fast as I could stalk on my madly weary feet.

I was massively angry. I was _furious_ at him. How dare he yell at me and especially about _that_. As if I wanted it thrown in my face. As if I had _forgotten_. As if I _could_. It was official. Dean Ambrose was an absolute asshole and the sooner I could crawl into bed and get some sleep, then the sooner I hoped I'd feel better about that.

"Lauren – ,"

As it turned out however, the man in question didn't quite agree with my plan and even though I was moving pretty quickly it didn't take long for him to catch me right up. His hand encircled my arm to stop me walking and he simultaneously spun me his way,

"Let go of me Dean."

"Lauren wait. I didn't mean it to come out like that. I shouldn't have said it, okay? I'm _frustrated_ – ,"

I tugged my arm from his fingers roughly,

"Which no doubt is _my_ fault like everything else? Look Dean, I appreciate you driving me out here and I _really_ appreciate what you did for me last night, but if I'm so much trouble then – you know what – I _release_ you. I don't want you to worry about me anymore."

I turned on my heel to stalk off dramatically and then promptly got it caught in a grate. As I staggered briefly Dean swept in behind me and steadied me by pulling me back into his chest. If his fingers on my spine had felt like electricity, being body to body felt like a bomb had gone offand I physically gasped and felt myself weaken as he held me upright, breathing hard.

"You're a god damn disaster Princess, you know that?" Dean murmured gruffly but I could still hear him smiling, "Let's get you up to that room of yours _fast,_ huh? Before a piano drops on your head or a fuckin' plane falls out of the sky."

This time I didn't attempt to pull away from him. What was the point? My moral high-ground had gone. Instead we trooped towards the lobby in tandem – in time to hear Seth and Roman drive off,

"Wait," I blinked, "Where are they going? Are they _leaving_ you here?"

He snorted at me softly,

"Yeah, don't worry, I gave 'em the keys. I'll call a cab. It's no big deal. But first I need to make sure _you're_ safe Princess. You heard the Boss Man – Daddy's orders – it would be more than my fuckin' job's worth to let him down. We take our work pretty seriously around here."

"Yeah," I nodded, "I – I can see that."

Luckily the receptionist who'd hit on Dean earlier had given way to an elderly man, who peered at us over the top of his spectacles and then promptly went back to watching the game. Dean and I climbed the stairs in silence and he watched me closely as I pulled out my key. I assumed that after I was in he would leave me and I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about that, but as it turned out what he _did_ was the opposite and as the door swung open, he stalked right in.

"Uh, Dean, what are you doing?"

"Checkin' the room's clear."

I blinked,

"You're kidding, right?"

Turning towards me he suddenly grinned and my heart skipped a beat as the dimples appeared. I blew out a breath. He was totally screwing with me and what was more, he was loving that he was.

"Maybe," he shrugged, "But, hey, you're a precious asset now. Got to make sure no one's lyin' in wait, lookin' to grab the big boss' daughter and make him shell out for her safe return."

I shut the door behind me with a dry snort and dropped my bag down onto a chair,

"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly _anything_ right now. Stephanie made that very clear."

Crossing to the bed I flopped down onto it and lay blinking at the ceiling. It felt _so_ good. When Dean spoke again I could practically _hear_ him frowning and I wondered when precisely I'd become so attuned to the sound of his voice and it's different inflections.

"What did she say?"

" _Ugh_ ," I groaned, "What _didn't_ she? For a start she thinks I'm some sort of con-artist or I'm out for their fortune – or possibly both and _then_ she actually claimed that mom had made it all up as a sick twisted joke."

"I'm guessin' you didn't take that too well?"

"Nope," I popped back, "And neither did Hunter."

Which was actually the strangest part of it all. Hunter had _defended_ my mother and not just out of sympathy either but in a guttural, instinctive, knee-jerk way that told me – no scratch that – _screamed_ at me that he still cared about her. Possibly he always had. I thought back to the moment when he'd first caught sight of me and the look on his face when he'd assumed I was her. In amongst the confusion there had also been tenderness and – maybe I was dreaming it – even fleeting hope? That wasn't to say he didn't care about Stephanie – an idiot could see that he was crazy about his wife – but whatever he and my mother had been once, still ran deep and I found that moving. But why? I mean, my mother was gone, she would never hear a word of it and suddenly it all felt so unfair that my eyes began to sting and my chest grew tighter.

I wanted her so much it physically _hurt_.

Clearing my throat I rolled off the bed quickly and crossed towards the minibar,

"Get you a drink? I mean, I know they're crazy expensive but it's been a big day, let's go wild, huh?"

"Sure, hey, it's your room service bill."

Which I could hardly afford as it was but what the hell? Reaching down I pulled out a whisky, splashing it down into two little glasses and trying to control how much my hand shook. The pressure of keeping myself from crying was so immense that my face _ached_ from holding it in.

"So," Dean offered, seeming none the wiser, "Sounds like you got the boss on side at least. That whole _get her back safely_ line he gave me? Results or not, he thinks you're his kid."

"Uh huh."

I took a long deep draft of the liquor, hoping it would help me feel better.

It didn't work.

"Stephanie though?" Dean continued, "I'm tellin' you, fuckin' _Witch of the West_. You do _not_ want to get on the wrong side of her. She'll scratch your fuckin' eyes out and wear 'em like a daisy chain."

Stephanie. My step-mother. Not my mom and thinking about her made it all worse again. I tried to drown out a sob with my hand but another one instantly bubbled up after it and then abruptly I was crying – well, not crying, I was actually _wailing_ like a little lost child.

"Oh fuck," Dean groaned and I snuffled bravely,

"I – I'm okay."

"Yeah, you sound it,"

"It – it just comes over me some – sometimes, that's all, I – I'll be okay."

I was still hunched over the mini-bar blubbering so on hearing Dean shifting somewhere behind me, I assumed that he was making a bolt for the door. It was why I was so surprised to feel his hands on my shoulders, silently asking me to spin back around,

"Hey," he murmured, "Easy Lauren."

Miserably I accepted and turned around towards him with my hands at my sides and tears pouring down my face. Given that he didn't seem the type for emotions, I'd expected him to look awkward or maybe annoyed but when I briefly chanced a quick glance up at him he _actually_ looked genuinely worried about me. Dropping my head I leant right in against him. His scent was intoxicating – _aftershavy_ , _manly_ – and I could hear his heartbeat steady and strong.

 _Beat beat, beat beat, beat beat_.

"I miss her – I really miss her Dean,"

"Yeah, I know."

He folded his big broad arms around me and looped one up to stroke my head.

"I wish she was here."

"If she was then _you_ wouldn't be."

I snorted but nodded. He made a good point.

Luckily after a few more minutes the embarrassingly snotty sobbing subsided and broke into a series of self-pitying sniffs and sensing that the waterworks were finally over, Dean curled in a finger and gently lifted up my chin.

"Lauren? I'm a fuckin' idiot, okay?"

I blinked at him, my eyes red and tear-laden,

"You're – huh?"

"About what I said back there – about last night. I'm not blamin' you for it, okay? That was him. It was _all_ on him. I don't think you can't take care of yourself either. I just – I have this fuckin' _need_ to keep you safe."

"Why?"

"You tell me," he smiled back softly and I frowned for a second, not following him. I was a clumsy, trouble-attracting, tear-stained disaster. Why anybody wanted to help me was a mystery, far less go out of their way to keep me safe.

In response I shook my head and swiped at my tear trails and Dean pushed my hands down to do it for me, brushing my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. He was hunched down a little, so he was eye-to-eye with me and as the blue orbs locked onto me my knees began to shake. He looked so genuine and gorgeously earnest and – _holy crap_ – was he going in for a _kiss_? I inhaled and braced myself as he slowly leant forward before closing my eyes in excitement.

 _Knock, knock_.

A pounding at the door made both of us jump visibly and as I stepped away I backed into the wall. Dean however didn't seem to notice, too busy running a hand through his hair.

"Fuck. Who the hell is _that_?"

"Um, I guess Stephanie's doctor?"

" _What_? Why the hell would he be here?"

I frowned, not sure why he seemed so alarmed,

"He's got to take some blood for the paternity test. What's – what's wrong?"

"He can't see me here."

"Huh? Why?"

" _Because_ ," Dean stressed, dropping his voice low, "Everyone that works for her, reports back to her. You remember the flyin' monkeys in the _Wizard of Oz_? Well that's kinda like what _he_ is to her. I didn't called her the Wicked Witch for nothin'."

"But what does it matter if he sees you in here?" I blinked. Was he ashamed of being seen with me? That wasn't a particularly reassuring thought, "Hunter asked you to drop me back – ,"

"Yeah, _us_ – as in me, Seth and Roman. That guy walks in here and sees only _me_ , he's gonna add two and two and make twelve and it won't be good for either of us, trust me."

I frowned a little, confused by the subtext. He didn't want the doctor to get the wrong idea? That was pretty interesting coming from the guy who had been going to kiss me half a second ago. My cheeks flushed from simply remembering the proximity, right up until the banging sounded again,

 _Knock knock_.

"Bathroom," I hissed, flinging the door open and he moved towards it, looked, then stopped.

"Is this a bathroom or a broom cupboard?"

"Can you afford to be choosy?"

Heaving a sigh he stepped inside anyway and then turned and gave me an unimpressed look,

"Make it quick will ya? Before I suffocate in here."

"I don't really think I get much of a say Dean, but I'll see what I can do. Just – make yourself comfy."

His expression dropped, he wasn't amused but before he could get out a scathing rejoinder I simply smiled and shut the door with a _click_.

Yeah, I was going to pay for that later.

 _Knock, knock._

"Coming," I trilled a little toobrightly which I found out the moment I swung open the door. The doctor was an older man, probably in his sixties, with a pepper pot goatee, thick framed glasses and a frown. Maybe Dean was right. I could _absolutely_ see him as an evil winged monkey. He brushed past me and bumped my shin with his bag,

"Lauren Hope?"

"Um, yes?"

I wondered briefly what he'd have done if I'd said _no_ , since he'd already put his belongings on the desk but as he spun towards me, the sharp eyes narrowed and I lost the will to say anything at all.

"You took a long time to answer," he commented mildly, snapping open the locks on his case, "I was beginning to think that maybe you weren't in."

"Oh, um, I – I was naked."

 _Nice going Lauren_.

I almost instantly groaned. I couldn't have said I was stepping into the shower? Getting changed? Sleeping? _Anything_ else? Fortunately the doctor didn't seem to notice my embarrassment, too busy pulling on a pair of green gloves and barking out orders.

"Over here, sit."

He sounded like a jaded elementary school teacher and possibly because of that I did what he said. No sooner had I dropped onto the coverlet however, than he was there beside me, seizing my hand. I watched him run an alcohol wipe over it and then – without a word – he pressed something down.

" _Ow_."

On the face of it the contraption looked like an ink-stamp only it _hurt_ as it dug straight into my skin. Instinctively I tried to pull my hand away from it, but he held on like a vulture until he was finished.

"There, all done."

"That – that's it?"

"It's a paternity test," he snipped back at me, "Not a triple heart bypass."

I took that as a _yes_.

"And the results will be back – ,"

"In a couple of days, although I'm sure _Mrs. McMahon_ will inform you either way."

I snorted despite myself – _I'm sure she will_ – then suddenly felt my stomach lurch in horror as Doctor _Asshole_ turned towards the bathroom door.

 _Dean_.

The saving leap I made was almost balletic although it ended with a _bang_ as I slid into the wall,

"Um, where – where are you going?"

Doctor _Grouchy_ blinked at me tersely, his fingers round the handle,

"Getting some toilet paper."

"Right. For my wound I guess?"

"No, for my _nose_ ," he snapped, "I happen to be congested."

"Oh."

"Can you let me past?"

I winced at him,

"No – uh – by which I mean _yes_ , it's just – look, why don't you let _me_ get it _for_ you?"

I was groping around with the handle as I spoke, shunting his fingers off with my own and opening the door by the tiniest of margins which I then had to attempt to try and squeeze my way through,

"What – ,"

"I mean, I'm sure you're a busy man so the _last_ thing you want is to get your own tissues, right?"

Doctor _Serious_ peered at me in bafflement, clearly wondering if I was insane and it was a notion I only managed to foster as I disappeared through the opening and gave him a little wave. I spun around into Dean's broad chest and the scent of his aftershave almost defeated me.

 _Take me._

Luckily I managed to clear my throat instead,

"What's goin' on?" he whispered,

"Toilet paper."

"What?"

"He wants some toilet paper to wipe his nose."

As I spoke I was trying to edge past him but succeeded only in swiping my breasts across his arms. For a second neither one of us moved and then Dean grinned at me,

"Naked, huh?"

 _Oh god_.

To cover my blush I tried to push past him but we were virtually wedged in and close – _so_ close. I could _smell_ the mint of his gum and I liked it, along with his eyes and his arms and his lips.

 _Lauren, focus_.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and Dean got the message and let out a sigh,

"Hold on," leaning over he tore off some paperl and handed it across to me, "Now get him out."

Then he opened the bathroom door a fraction and half-pushed me out of it, toilet paper held aloft.

"Here you are, I've got it,"

 _Doctor Cranky Pants_ took it from me and dabbed at his nose,

"Ah, thank you Miss Hope."

"Any time," I beamed, "Well, not _any_ time – because, I mean, I won't always be here and the next time it might be somebody else. But if you ever see me and you need a tissue, I – uh – well, I'm happy to help."

He blinked at me again as if debating my sanity and then merely nodded and stepped back towards the door,

"Miss Hope – ," he began, like it was the start of a sentence that could have gone anywhere between _take care_ and _you're insane_. But instead he simply headed off down the corridor and just like that my sample was gone.

The paternity test was officially over.

Well, _my_ part of it at least and that made me feel numb. There was _literally_ no turning back from this thing now and that was scary _and_ exciting all at once.

"He's gone right?" Dean asked, suddenly re-emerging and I jumped having totally forgotten he was there. Although how I'd forget having a _wrestler_ in my bathroom I wasn't really sure.

"What? Oh, yep. He's gone."

"Did it hurt?"

"A bit."

Sadly I glanced down at the little dot on my fingertip and Dean came over to get a better look. As he lifted my hand up, the fireworks hit me and when he peered in closer we almost bumped heads.

"Well done tiger," he snorted sarcastically, "That looks _brutal_."

I snatched the wound back,

"Shut up."

As he looked up I realised how close we were, with Dean taking up nearly the whole sweep of my gaze. My heart beat fiercely and my skin began to tingle.

Please _god_ let him try to kiss me again.

For a moment I thought he was definitely going to – and based on his expression _he_ thought he would too – but then suddenly he cleared his throat and stepped back from me, still smiling mildly but shutting it down.

"Uh, look, you probably need to get some sleep," he grumbled, reaching up to scratch the back of his head and for the second time in two days I could've sworn he was actually a little bit flustered, "We'll be back around early to pick you up, okay?"

"Huh?" I blinked, before suddenly remembering, "Oh, right. Tomorrow's show."

"You gonna be alright?"

I wasn't exactly sure what I supposed be _alright_ about, but I nodded anyway,

"Yep, I'm good."

Dean snorted softly and stepped out into the hallway before pausing with one hand still resting on the door,

"Lauren – ,"

"I know," I nodded, "Lock it behind you."

He grinned a little,

"That's my girl."

My heart was still flipping as he clicked it behind him.

 _My girl_.

Did he just call me _his_ girl?

I crossed the room in a giddy little day-dream and rested my head against the cool frame. It took a few seconds for the fluttering to sink down again but once it had I reached out and snapped the lock.

I could've sworn that only _after_ that did I hear him walk away again.

* * *

 **Sooo, what did you think? In the next chapter we finally have some Roman/Seth interaction. I know I've not given them much love in this so far, but the next two installments should make up for that.**


	10. One Of The Guys

**Here we go then, a bit more Roman and Seth in this one (but obviously mostly Lauren and Dean!)**

 **Samr09, I'm glad you're prepared to be patient! But we will get there, I promise and when it happens I swear it's going to be worth it!**

 **Skovko, I may or not may not babble like she does in real life when I'm nervous too. Gotta say though, it usually works out for me (although I have said some pretty random things!) Glad you liked the funny bits as well, can't be too serious all of the time!**

* * *

 **One Of The Guys**

The next morning I was up bright and early and waiting outside the motel with my case. Under any other circumstances I would have been proud – washed, dressed and ready to go long before my accustomed hour – but my triumph was lessened considerably by the fact that I hadn't actually slept.

I mean, how could I after everything that had happened? In the course of _one_ day I had been chased by a security guard, met my father, met my wicked stepmother, agreed to a paternity test and nearly been kissed by an incredibly hot guy who had told me he cared about me. Well, okay, he said he wanted to keep me safe. Which was _basically_ the same thing, right? Either way my head had been spinning and sleep had been virtually impossible after that.

In short, I had never been more tired in my life.

Then there was the fact I missed my mom. _God_ she'd have loved to hear all of this. I could practically _hear_ her gushing about Dean and how tall and strong and handsome he was. But that was just it, I _couldn't_ hear her and I wouldn't be able to ever again. It sucked and I had spent a good hour just crying, making my pillow all soggy and wet. The grey light of dawn creeping in through the drapes had been almost a blessing since it meant I could get up. Keeping busy was the only way through it and it was that determined mind-set that had meant I was waiting as The Shield boys pulled up at seven thirty on the dot.

"Wow," Seth whistled, as he clambered out and picked my bag up, "Someone's keen to go."

He'd left the passenger side door open and I could see Dean leaning through from the driver's seat.

"Morning," I offered brightly, unable able to see his expression thanks to a pair of snappy looking shades. He was wearing a black shirt with a black cap turned backwards and although on someone else it might have looked ridiculous, on him it looked perfect and pretty sexy too. My tongue ran over my bottom lip instinctively and I _thought_ I saw him hitch a little smile.

"Right back at ya Princess."

I giggled like a schoolgirl and then blushed heavily.

 _For god sakes Lauren, don't make it so obvious_.

Clearing my throat I turned back to Seth, who was shunting my suitcase into the back.

"Thanks. Seth right? I'm Lauren. I mean, I know we spoke on the phone before and _sort of_ met in person last night but it was all kind of _shouty_ so we're weren't introduced properly."

He took my outstretched hand with a smile, although he couldn't help but also look bewildered as well,

"Uh, yeah, hi. It's nice to _properly_ meet you too."

As I spun towards one of the back doors, Dean's voice called me from the front. When I glanced in, he was tapping his palm against the spare seat on the passenger's side,

"Not so fast Lauren – you're up here with me."

"Um, is that supposed to be a treat or a punishment?"

He flashed his teeth at me, effortlessly cool,

"What do you think?"

"Little bit of both?"

"Cute answer. Now would you hurry up and get your ass in here?"

Getting my ass anywhere _near_ the seat however was a whole lot easier said than done. The car was one of those over-sized rentals which practically needed steps to get up and down. Well, maybe not if you were a six foot plus wrestler but I wasn't, I was only a little bitty girl and in the end I had to approach it like a climbing wall and scrabble around for feet and hand holds.

"Hold on," I panted, jamming my sneaker into a tiny little nook in the door, "I think I'm getting there."

A chuckle from the backseat made me suddenly remember Roman and I almost cursed at how ungraceful I looked. Was there any chance of me _not_ making an idiot of myself or being embarrassed in front of Dean's friends? Apparently the answer to that one was _no_ , although fortunately as I clambered up, Dean reached his arm out and let me latch onto it, using his muscles to haul me in. The way his arms bulged against the sleeves of his t-shirt made me momentarily sizzle.

 _Stupidly hot._

"You alright there Thumbelina?"

"I'm perfectly normally sized thank you. It's you three that are the mutated giants in this scenario."

"Sure, insult the guys who have gone out of their way to drive you to the venue. That's _real_ smart,"

"Oh stop with that," I snorted wryly, pleased with how quickly we fell back into our groove, "You're only doing it because the boss' wife made you. _You'd_ have me hitching on the side of the road."

Dean's brows rose up a little at that one and his voice lost a fraction of its gently teasing tone,

"I didn't last time."

I blushed – okay, so maybe that was true – and slamming the door shut behind me with effort, I got myself comfy and tried to grab the belt. However once again because I was small and the car they had picked had been designed for godzilla, I couldn't reach it short of dislocating my arm. Dean watched me struggle, grinning mildly, before a tattooed arm poked it helpfully through the gap.

"Here you go baby girl."

"Thank you Roman, good morning."

He smiled back at me warmly,

"Morning. You sleep okay?"

Behind us the trunk snapped shut with a bang and Seth clambered in on the bigger man's left side. It was probably not the time to tell them about the crying and the major crush I had on their friend and so instead I merely shrugged my shoulders and tried to downplay it,

"It was – okay."

"What?" Dean raised a brow at me appraisingly, "Couple in the next room bangin' too loud?"

I screwed my face up,

" _Ew_ , no. I just – ," I shrugged, "I just had a lot on my mind."

Sensing that maybe our _nearly kiss_ had been part of it, Dean cleared his throat and focused on bringing the car around. He bumped over the speed humps and fed us onto the interstate, looking _almost_ awkward.

His friends didn't catch on,

"Takes a bit of time to get used to sleeping away from your own bed," Seth offered, "But you'll get there. Especially after tonight. Did Dean tell you that the shows tend to wind up running late?"

"No, but then he hasn't really told me _anything_ – except how dangerous this whole thing is."

"He's right," Roman answered, "But you just do you and you'll be alright."

It was the first time that someone had suggested I could handle things and his deeply-toned confidence made my own grow. That was until Dean spoke up again, sounding terse,

"Great idea Roman, only it's goin' to be hard for her to keep her head down when the whole place finds out she's Hunter's fuckin' _daughter_."

"Which is why we're here," Seth offered flatly and I blinked a little,

"You're here to protect me? Wait, is _that_ why Stephanie sent you along?"

There was a momentary pause and even though I was facing forwards, I could see Dean's eyes flicker towards the mirror in silent consultation with the rest of his team. Whatever debate they were having however, certainly didn't seem to last very long.

"We're not here to protect you Lauren, we're here to keep tabs on you and figure you out."

" _Figure me out_?" I echoed, "What's there to figure? I'm plain and I'm dull – nothing more to say."

Dean's sunglasses flashed,

" _Hey_ , I've spent twenty-four hours with you remember? Trust me when I tell you that you're not plain _or_ dull. In fact if you were you'd be a lot less trouble. Besides, _I've_ already figured you out. It's Stephanie that hasn't."

"Oh really?" I looked at him, "You've figured me out, huh?"

I could see a glint in his eyes behind the lenses and sensing a flicker of flirtation between us – and clearly deciding that he and Roman did _not_ want to be stuck in the middle of all the awkward – Seth leant in across the seats and coughed, drawing us back to our earlier conversation.

"We're _supposed_ to report back to her,"

"Report back what?"

"Everything about you," Roman rumbled, "Phone calls, lies, guys hidden in your bathroom – ,"

I glanced across at Dean who merely smiled and I got the distinct impression that Roman was teasing me.

 _Wow_.

Dean really _did_ tell his boys everything. I liked that though – how completely he trusted them – and it made me yearn for his trust too.

"So, what _are_ you going to tell her?"

Dean snorted,

"Besides you bein' a pain in my ass?"

" _Please_ , I'm an angel. Besides, if you keep talking like that your friends are going to get the wrong impression about me."

"We've already got it," Seth replied smirking, "Dean's told us everything."

"Everything?" I replied, genuinely curious. Had he told them about our _almost kiss_? Had he told them about his need to protect me? Seth shifted further forward in his seat,

"There's more?"

In reply Dean shot me a side-eyed glare and I realised my mistake, which I hurried to correct. As usual my response was calm, measured and utterly sophisticated,

"Huh? What – no – um – not that I _know_ of – I mean, not that I know what he's _told_ you exactly but whatever it is I – I'm sure there's nothing more."

There, problem solved. Dean sighed heavily and Seth sat back in his seat with a grin,

"Oh, there's more."

"Right?" Roman chuckled back at him smugly and as my cheeks began to burn with total embarrassment, I did what I always do when faced by a silence I felt duty-bound to fill.

It was good old fashioned _chitchat_ time.

"Uh, so, _fellas_ , tell me a little more about yourselves. You know, where you grew up, families, interests. I mean, how did you get into the whole _wrestling_ thing?"

Roman glanced across at Dean,

"You're right, she _does_ like talking."

"Hey! What do you want me to do? It's not like we can just sit in silence the whole way there."

"Works for me," Dean shrugged,

"It _would_. You're grumpy."

"Works for me too," Seth chipped in grinning and I sighed at them crossly, faking offence with folded arms. Smiles bounced back and forth between the teammates and eventually I couldn't help but join in, knowing that the three of them were getting kicks out of teasing me but _also_ knowing that it felt oddly comfortable as well. Sparky conversation was very much in my ballpark and if they wanted to I could do it all day long.

"Look, it's easy, I'll start. My name is Lauren, I come from _Wisconsin_ – ," I stressed, throwing a pointed glare at Dean, "Small town, nice place, _kinda_ apple pie I guess. Um, what else? Oh, my mom was a music teacher and my _dad_ is the day-to-day boss of a billion dollar sports entertainment business – paternity results pending of course. Seth?"

The sound of Dean's chuckle made my skin prickle and I looked over just in time to catch a hint of a smirk. If I was making him laugh then I was obviously doing _something_ right and I was further encouraged when Roman joined in. Both he and Seth looked a little bewildered but they were also smiling so I considered that a result. As Seth blinked uncertainly, Roman nudged him,

"Well, go on, you heard the lady."

"Thank you Roman."

Seth sighed,

"Alright, alright."

As it turned out my _getting-to-know-you_ scheme actually worked out pretty damn well and over the course of the next fifty minutes, I found out all sorts of facts about my travelling partners. For example, Seth was from Iowa – small town, like me – and had a loving fiancée waiting back home. He had wanted to be a wrestler since he could remember and after an abortive attempt at college had simply put his head down and followed his dream. It didn't take a genius to work out that he was driven but he was also sweet and a tiny bit shy which warmed me to him instantly. Roman's story was a little bit different. Evidently he had been born into a wrestling _dynasty_ but had trodden his own path by choosing pro-football before finally being dragged into the ring. He also had a wife and daughter, who were obviously his absolute _world_ and hearing him talk about them so proudly made me wonder if I would maybe have that with Hunter one day. As a knot formed abruptly, I cleared my throat,

"Okay, so now I know about these two that must mean – _yep_ – Dean, come on, your turn."

Although I was grinning I couldn't help but notice as a strange sort of tension settled over the car. Seth and Roman both shifted awkwardly and I blinked. Had I said something wrong? An earlier conversation came back to me suddenly and in particular Dean's response after I'd said my mother died.

 _So? Big deal. Mine wasn't around much. Think that makes us even so far._

Clearly Dean's life was not open for discussion and I sat back self-consciously and dropped my gaze into my hands. Despite that though, I could feel his eyes on me and finally he coughed a little,

"Cincinnati."

"Huh?"

"That's where I'm from, Cincinnati Ohio," he kept his gaze on the road as he spoke, staring ahead like the topic was easy when everything about him screamed otherwise. Honestly, I felt honoured that he was even _half_ -telling me and so I sat and I listened, not saying a word, "Wanted to be a wrestler since I was a kid, so when I was sixteen I dropped out of school and got a job at a wrestling place – bugged 'em until they agreed to teach me. Been doin' it ever since. Was in the indies for a long time, then got called up to the Big Leagues by your old man. Rest is history."

"The indies?" I blinked, "What, like the _West_ Indies?"

Unintentionally my faux-pas broke the mood and suddenly the guys were again all smiles. Dean even let loose an actual chuckle and shook his head at me – dare I say – fondly?

"The _Independent Circuit_ ," he replied, grinning wider as my blush grew hotter until it burnt like the sun. Luckily Dean chose to spare my embarrassment by generously carrying on, "Small promotions, semi-professional deals, ring-in-a-barn, that kind of thing. Nothing like the McMahon-Helmsley Empire. But they're good to get you where you need to go."

"Not so tropical though," Roman snorted, "You don't need a bathing suit or lotion or a towel."

"Hey, go easy on me okay? I'm new at this. It's like – learning another language or something."

"Still easier than learning West Indies dialects," Seth smirked, "So, you know, there's always that."

I pouted at him childishly,

"That's it, I'm done talking with you two. From now on I'm only talking to my friend Dean – ,"

"Wait," Dean blinked, pushing his shades up as the sun ducked away behind a cloud, "Why am _I_ the one being punished? I'm driving you to the show aren't I? Isn't that enough?"

I ignored him,

" _So_ _Dean_ , do you still live in Cincinnati?"

I wasn't particularly looking for a reply to it – simply aiming to rub in my point – but to my surprise Dean actually answered me, even though it wasn't the expected response,

"Vegas."

"Wait, as in the _actual_ Vegas?"

"Uh huh."

"Oh, so do you live there with someone?"

It tumbled out before I could stop it and the instant expression on my face said it all. Suddenly the silence between us was deafening and his eyes slid smoothly across to meet mine. Without his shades I could see every sparkle and the delicious amusement was so unrelenting that I decided to try and take back what I'd said.

"Not that I _need_ to know or anything – it's just a question. I mean, Roman told me about his wife and Seth mentioned his fiancée so – you know, if you don't want to answer then I – I totally understand. I mean I don't care if you do – um – _answer the question_ that is. I _totally_ don't care if you live with someone – unless you don't in which case – um – I _still_ don't. I mean it's none of my business – ,"

"I don't," he replied and I was so relieved he'd interrupted my word-vomit that I almost wept a little.

 _Oh thank god_.

His answer was even better.

 _He didn't live with anyone_.

"Besides, if I _did_ how happy do you think she would have been about me sharin' a room with you?"

"Probably not too crazy about it," I admitted, before adding quickly, "Not that anything happened."

Dean looked across at me, still smiling slightly and – although It hardly seemed possible – I blushed a little more.

"So what about you," Seth asked suddenly, "Some small town guy you left back home?"

Dean's eyes flickered up into the rear view mirror warningly and Seth simply grinned at him.

"No," I shrugged, "I mean – I _had_ someone but that was over a year ago, so – ,"

I tailed off randomly, trying to downplay it but I only succeeded in setting alarm bells off instead. It seemed I was pretty good at doing that, not that it was a skill I was exactly keen to hone.

"What happened baby girl?" Roman asked softly and everyone seemed to hold their breath,

"It just – kind of – didn't really work out I guess. I mean, we'd been together since high school and when we were younger we'd made all these plans. I was saving up to go to college somewhere, he was going to come with me, get a job and we were going to buy a house – ," I took a deep breath, "Anyway, then my mom got sick and I – I didn't want to leave her, how could I? But I guess he didn't like that so much because he – well – we basically broke up and he left town anyway."

"Come on?" Seth barked, " _Seriously_?"

"Uh huh."

Dean frowned fiercely,

"Guy sounds like a dick."

"Maybe," I shrugged, "But – I mean – on the plus side, I got to spent a whole year with my mom, just _doing_ stuff together, you know? And I know it might seem a little bit weird but I'm pretty sure it was the happiest time we ever had, just because we knew what was coming and – ,"

I broke off suddenly with a wobbly sob and Dean glanced across at me, his blue eyes concerned,

"Lauren – ,"

"Sorry, I'm – I'm alright."

Roman's hand snuck in through the headrest and dropped down on my shoulder, big and warm,

"Easy baby girl."

"Hey," Seth offered gently, probably feeling bad about having brought the whole thing up, "Want us to hunt him down and cut his balls off?"

"Probably not. Thanks though, that's – _sweet_?"

The thought of Andy standing naked while Seth circled his genitals with a pair of clippers briefly brought up a ghost of a smile and gradually the tension ebbed away. What it left in its place however was silence and although it was comfortable enough, I felt my old urge beginning to creep back and my brain started scanning for potential talking points. Then, without warning Dean reached over and switched on the radio, filling the pause. I glanced across at him – somehow he just _got_ me – and he looked back and smiled gently.

"You alright?"

"Uh huh."

It was a pretty relative term all things considered. How could I honestly be _alright_? With every passing second I was getting closer to a world that I didn't understand and I wasn't sure I liked. Was it even worth it? To stay close to Hunter?

As the strains of _Jessica_ filtered over the radio, Dean leant across and turned it up. He really did have the best taste in music and I smiled although Seth wasn't quite so impressed,

"Dean, can you keep it down? I'm trying to phone my girl here – ,"

Dean put his hand up to his ear and I smiled,

"What? Sorry, can't hear you babe."

"God damn it Dean. _Don't_ call me babe – ,"

I sat back as the banter swept in around me, feeling more comfortable than I had done for days. My eyelids flickered shut and I allowed them to sleepily, figuring I would momentarily rest my eyes. I didn't realise that I was actually succumbing until it was too late to fight the oncoming tide. I drifted off to the strains of the _Allman Brothers_ and Dean tapping the rhythm on the wheel by my side.

 _Just a little nap._

I told myself mentally.

 _A quick ten minutes and then I'll be fine._

When I woke up again it was two hours later and Dean was pulling up beside a cute little diner set back from the road with wild flowers outside. I wasn't entirely sure what had happened – surely I had only _just_ closed my eyes – but as I stirred and let out a whimper of confusion, Dean glanced across at me,

"Welcome back. Sleep well?"

I blushed,

"Who _me_? Um, I – I wasn't sleeping."

"Nah, sure you weren't baby girl," Roman chuckled, "You know, I snore when I'm wide awake too."

" _What_? I don't snore!" I hissed in horror, "Please tell me that I didn't _actually_ snore."

As Seth and Roman slid from the car grinning – letting in a blast of unrelenting Texan air – I turned to Dean, who was still sitting beside me and gazed at him imploringly.

" _Relax_ Princess, you didn't snore,"

"Oh thank god."

"But you _did_ call my name a couple times back there – sort of _licked your lips_ as well."

"I – what?"

The answer I got was the slamming of the car door and I struggled desperately to get out of my belt. I was aware that Dean was ninety-nine percent joking but there was still a one percent chance that he was telling the truth and given how I felt about him it would have been typical if my stupid subconscious had given me up. As I thumped at the belt-release I scoured my memories, trying to recall any lingering dreams. If I _had_ conjured up a sex dream with Dean, then I couldn't remember it, which I would have done, right?

Suddenly the passenger door was flung open,

"You _are_ kidding aren't you? About the _saying-your-name-thing_?"

Dean simply smirked at me – prolonging the agony – then gestured towards the diner instead,

"Not comin' in?"

"I can't – I'm stuck."

I thumped on the belt release again and looked up at him, silently demonstrating the problem I had. Dean rolled his eyes as if debating simply leaving me but then suddenly he was in _over_ me – as in _right_ over me – standing on the lip of the car. He was leaning in to get his hands on the buckle which meant draping his biceps over my thighs. His head was hanging close and the smell of his aftershave was so all-encompassing that it felt was like I was wearing a splash of it as well. Honestly, I wished I was wearing _him_. I mean, who even _needed_ a sexy dream when the real thing was hovering directly above me?

"You really are trouble, you know that right?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak at that moment and bit on my lip to stop from letting out a squeak. I was actually sorry when he managed to release me, which explains why instead of simply saying _thank you_ – like a normal person – I decided to embarrass myself instead,

"You're good with your hands."

He quirked a brow up at me,

"If you think _that_ was good – ,"

I covered my face and he chuckled a little dirtily and started to duck back out of the car. He paused at the exact same moment that I dropped my hands away and we found ourselves pressed basically face to face. The atmosphere turned from teasing to smouldering and I shuddered a breath in over my lips. His eyes flickered up towards mine and he swallowed, clearly thinking the exact same thing. Our kiss last night had been interrupted but the desire to do it hadn't been quenched. We were in pretty much in the perfect position, so we could just lean in and –

"Hey, you two coming in or what?"

Seth's interruption made both of us jump and Dean slammed his head against the arch of the door,

" _Fuck_."

The moment was well and truly over although our encounters – I'd guess you'd call them – were starting to add up. The pair of us were certainly getting closer. But closer to _what_?

I honestly wasn't sure.

* * *

 **You like? As ever, let me know. In the next chapter we meet some more of the wrestling fraternity and...let's just say it doesn't go well!**


	11. All In The Family

**So, here we go, meeting more wrestlers. Place your bets now on who it might be! Thank you to all my lovely reviewers, you guys make me smile from ear to ear.**

 **Psion53, I'm literally so happy you used the word smouldering! This is easily the longest story I've ever written and it ended up that way because I really wanted to build up that tension. Can't wait for the pay-off (we'll get there, I promise!)**

 **Wrestlechic1, aww, I'm glad you think they're cute. They get a whole lot cuter before the end (or at least, I think/hope they do!)**

 **MizHyde, oh wow! Thank you for adding me, I'm so glad you stumbled across this. Welcome! I never wanted Lauren to be boring or two-dimensional so I'm really happy you think she sounds real. Glad you're loving the chemistry too. There's a lot more to come on that front - strap in!**

 **Skovko, whoop whoop! Glad you're still enjoying it and thank you sooo much for your lovely reviews.**

 **Samr09, guilty as charged, I do like a good cliffhanger and rest assured there's a few more of those to come (I'm cruel like that!) But I know you love them really!**

 **Guest, welcome! Glad you're enjoying it so far. Hmm, no, I certainly wouldn't use the words soft or weepy, although obviously you'll have to keep reading to find out (I'm dangling the bait with that response!) Hope you enjoy what's still to come.**

 **Okay, now on with the chapter!**

* * *

 **All In The Family**

The answer to the eternal question _what exactly does a wrestler eat_ was answered for me in glorious technicolour as the waitress put down three plates of steak, which ranged from Dean's standard medium rare to Roman's surprisingly tame well-done. Not that it stopped them all positively _drooling_ when my cheeseburger was brought out, complete with curly fries.

"Baby girl," Roman groaned, "What are you doing to us?"

I blinked at him,

"What? You could have ordered this as well."

"Not with a show tonight I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to pick myself off the mat."

He glanced down and stabbed grudging at his green leafy salad and I turned to find Dean's nose hanging over my food. Grinning I tried and failed to push his head back and he further made me giggle by snagging up a fry.

" _Hey –_ ,"

"Come on, isn't that the least I deserve for drivin' you halfway across the country, _twice_?"

I thought about it for a couple of seconds and then pushed my plate towards him with sigh,

"Okay, if you put it that way, I can let you have another one."

His smile was almost a reward in itself although I had to slap off Seth and Roman, who had likewise tried to grab handfuls for themselves. Seth gaped back at me – hamming up the hurt look – and I smirked straight back at him,

" _You_ haven't driven me anywhere yet."

"No, but – hey – I made them turn off the music while you were asleep."

Roman rolled his eyes,

"No, that was me."

"Yeah, well maybe you were the one that _said_ it but I was _definitely_ thinking it first."

Letting out a sigh of mock-resignation, I pushed my plate into the middle of the table and swiped up my burger while they helped themselves to fries. I hadn't really realised how hungry I was until I bit down into it and let out a groan,

"Oh my god,"

Dean smirked at me,

"Good?"

I nodded around my mouthful, not daring to speak in case I missed a tiny morsel of flavour. At one point I even shut my eyes and when I opened them again, all three of them were watching me.

"Don't judge me, I've hardly eaten in three days. Plus I've been through the emotional ringer – I _need_ this cheeseburger to be happy, okay?"

Seth held his hands up in grinning submission and Roman silently pushed back my plate, moving it out of reach of their fingers and I grinned my thanks and took another bite.

 _The cheese, oh my god, the cheese_.

The whole experience was so orgasmic that I barely even noticed the mood around me change and in the end it was only the sound of Seth's growling that tore me away from my _heavenly_ meal.

"What the hell are they doing here?"

I looked up with a blink and was startled by their faces which were suddenly framed beneath _glowering_ eyes. The three of them actually looked genuinely frightening and I shrank back a little.

"Guys? Wh-what's going on?"

When none of them answered me, I followed their gazes and actually gasped out loud at what I saw. Three large guys had come into the diner and when I say large, I mean unnaturally huge. They weren't just tall either but wide in all directions and each of them was swathed in so much long facial hair that it looked like they'd been castaway on some lost pacific island and had only recently made it back to shore. The man in the middle was wearing a hat and a bright Hawaiian shirt that made the other two look drab. I squinted a little and frowned in confusion. Was the guy with the red beard wearing a _boiler suit_? What the hell was going on here? As I stared their eyes slid over in tandem and settled on our table. My heart almost stopped. Something about them was deeply unsettling although Hawaiian shirt guy winked at me and offered up a smile.

"Lauren,"

A hand went over mine and I jumped and looked around in sudden alarm,

"Huh?"

It was Dean.

"Ignore them, it's fine – we're not lettin' them get anywhere near here."

"Not letting them? Why, who are they?"

"The Wyatt family," Roman growled back and his fists were actually clenched against the table-top. It didn't exactly make me feel better and so I looked towards Dean for a few extra facts,

"Friends of yours?"

"If you mean wrestlers – then yeah, they are."

It was the first time I had seen the three of them with their game faces and it was as interesting to watch as it was unsettling. Dean, Seth and Roman I felt happy to joke around with, but _these_ three versions were definitely something else. As if sensing it however, Dean glanced across at me and smiled a little,

"Not gonna finish that?"

His hand snaked across the table towards my burger and I hastily slapped it away with a grin.

"Nuh-uh, no chance mister. I told you – I _need_ this. So if you want it, you're going to have to come through me."

He raised an eyebrow,

"Oh, fightin' talk, huh?"

I took another bite,

"Let's just say you don't want to mess with me."

Dean snorted wryly as Roman chuckled and abruptly the mood started to settle back down. It was helped as the Addams Family were shown to a table across the other side of the diner to ours and although there was a continued element of staring, The Shield boys eased up a little one by one. After another couple of minutes, I even felt safe enough to try and talk about it,

"So you said those guys – the _Wyatts_ – were a family. Do you mean a real family or – ,"

"No," Dean replied and his brows drew in again, "They're barely a real fuckin' _anythin'_."

"More like a god damn _cult_ ," Seth murmured and when I blinked in confusion, Roman explained,

"Bray likes to keep Harper and Rowan under his thumb. They do pretty much whatever he tells them – take people out, torment them, _hurt_ them. I mean, us three right here? We'll do whatever it takes to get to where we need to go. But those dudes ain't got no rhyme or reason. They're dangerous, no doubt about that."

In the light of his pretty bleak assessment, my eyes slid towards their table again. The bigger two – Harper and Rowan he'd called them – were eating with their heads down like pigs at a trough, but the Hawaiian shirted man was sitting back casually with one leg resting over his knee. He was drinking tea from a cup and his sharp eyes were shining as they came to sudden stop on me. I shuddered and finished the rest of my burger, suddenly keen to be moving along. Seth too was getting particularly antsy,

"Why the fuck does he keep on _staring_?"

"Easy," Dean warned, not sounding much happier, "We're havin' ourselves a nice meal over here."

Grabbing a final curly fry, I screwed up my napkin and dropped it onto my plate,

"I'm all done,"

Dean blinked across at me then furrowed his eyebrows, appraising my overly _chipper_ sounding tone. I stared back at him innocently, trying hard to look nonchalant and fighting back what I knew was a fast forming blush. He was already uneasy about me working for the company, so the last thing I needed was to look full-on frightened when faced with wrestlers _other_ than them.

"Yeah?" he asked coolly, clearly not buying it and I nodded quickly,

"Yep. I mean, we've still got a way to go before we get to tonight's venue, right? Can't spend all day eating I guess – I mean I'd _like_ to but we can't – so, I'm good to go."

"That makes two of us," Seth stood up hastily and Roman rolled his eyes and counted out a few bills. Dean started to copy him and so I too drew my purse out, only to find Dean's hand push it back.

"Nah, you're good."

I shook my head at him ruefully,

"You're going to have to let me pay for something _eventually_."

He nodded,

"Yeah, but I'm buildin' up to somethin' big."

"Oh?"

"He wants a monster truck," Roman winked teasingly, "Big red one."

"Well, at least I know."

We slid out of the booth as a compact little foursome and once again Dean placed his hand on my back. Were the fireworks ever going to stop popping when he touched me? Three days in and the answer was still _no_. As we crossed the diner past the Wyatts however they fell into a tight formation around me, practically propelling me as fast as I could walk. From somewhere beyond the muscled cluster of forearms, I heard a rough chuckle,

"Run boys, run."

I could feel Seth bristling and his fists clenched tightly,

"We're not running anywhere – _especially_ not from you."

"That isn't what it looks like," the voice drawled back at them. It was grainy and sounded almost _raw_ , "Looks to me like you're high-tailin' it out of here. Care to tell me why that might be?"

Suddenly all three Shield members stiffened and I instantly knew he was alluding to me. My heart started to beat against my ribcage insanely and I was glad I couldn't see him.

Dean stepped in close.

"She's nothin' _you_ need to worry about Wyatt."

"Just taking care of business," Roman added and his tone had lost that honeyed layer it had oozed when he'd been talking to me. Obviously the Wyatts were not the _baby girl_ type. In fact I wasn't sure they had ever _been_ babies, maybe they had sprung fully-grown from the mud? Bray Wyatt chuckled but it was pretty cold comfort, particularly because nothing funny had been said.

"Of course boys. _Business_. Something important for the big bad boss man I figure? My, my, you three sure are _good_ little soldiers."

Seth stepped forward but Roman grabbed him back and I heard my name being whispered almost sharply. I imagined that starting World War Three outside the ring was unadvisable at the best of times, but with me tucked behind them and not knowing what was happening, it was probably among the _worst_ of ideas. Reluctantly Seth uncurled his fists and let out a sigh of frustration,

" _Fine_."

Deciding to remove himself from the worsening situation, he turned and stomped away from the group. It left a small gap and in less than a second, Bray Wyatt's eyes were settled on me, widening slightly along with his smile and I shivered, not liking it one little bit.

Evidently neither did Dean.

"Come on," he grunted, taking my arm and steering me quickly in the direction of the doors. Roman took up position at the rear and it suddenly occurred to me that they were like commandos, crossing a hostile enemy land. It was the tiniest glimpse of the world I was stepping into and I was happy to admit that it scared me _a lot_. I mean, okay, so not all co-workers got along with one another, but these guys almost got into it in the middle of a _diner_. That was genuine next level stuff. My head was spinning as we emerged into the lobby and it was only then that Dean's grip loosened up,

"Fuckin' Wyatts," he muttered irately as Roman swiped his hands through his hair, "I wish I could've wiped that damn grin off his face – _all_ of their faces."

I stared at the floor, feeling guilty,

"I'm sorry."

Both of them turned to look at me quickly and Dean frowned,

"What are _you_ sorry for?"

"Because," I shrugged, "If I wasn't there, you could have fought them or trash talked them or – I don't know – _whatever_."

Roman snorted,

"Baby girl, I'm glad you _were_ there, because you stopped me from putting my foot up his ass and throwing his carcass clean over the counter."

"Besides," Dean added, still sounding tense but obviously trying for some sort of comfort, "Your old man doesn't like his wrestlers brawlin' unless it's in the middle of the ring and _especially_ not in front of his daughter, so you saved us – like – one _hell_ of a fine."

I grinned as a twinkle appeared in his eyes again and slowly things seemed to get back to _okay_. Behind us, Seth came in through the entrance and threw his hands out,

"What's happening? We leaving?"

"Yeah," Roman snorted, still seeming angry but letting a sigh out, "You bet we're leaving."

We stepped as a group in the direction of the parking lot but on seeing the signs for the ladies restrooms, I pulled back from them a little and ducked away to the left,

"Be right back."

"Really?" I heard Dean call out loudly, timing it as an elderly couple walked by, "Aren't you some kind of expert at squattin' now? There's plenty of bushes for you to choose from outside."

" _Dean_."

He chuckled and his tongue poked out between his teeth in obvious pride at what he had done. The movement made him look so instantly adorable that I couldn't stay mad at him.

Well, not for long.

Ignoring the appalled-looking glances in my direction, I sped off down the corridor, cursing his name.

 _Damn him._

Despite my experience _squatting in the bushes_ the ladies bathroom was definitely a step up. On top of which they also provided a mirror, which random foliage certainly did not. It was as I washed my hands that I caught my reflection and realised that I was _still_ broadly grinning like a child. Not only that but my insides were bubbling and I had butterflies in my stomach that were dancing around.

Dean Ambrose had done that to me – _for_ me – Dean had broken me out of my funk.

Glancing up, I looked towards the ceiling and drew a deep breath in,

"Mom, what do you think? I mean, _okay_ , so maybe he's a _little_ rough around the edges and he swears a lot and he's kind of a closed book but I'm pretty sure I like him – as in _really, really_ like him – and I _think_ he kind of likes me back. I just – _ugh_ – I don't know what to do about it. I need a sign or something. Come on mom, tell me what to do."

As somebody else pushed into the bathroom, I lowered my head and shot them a smile. It was entirely possible that she'd heard my crazy ramblings and as she hurried to shut herself into a cubicle those fears were confirmed. Great, now _I_ was scaring people and I wasn't even a wrestler at all. Ridding my hands of the last droplets of water, I stepped back into the diner's main corridor, still so focused on my jumbled musings that I physically _crashed_ into a solidly shaped man,

"Oh," I gasped, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you – ,"

But I tailed off again as I looked into his face and a chill ran through my blood at once. Staring down at me and still smirking coolly was the hat-topped, Hawaiian-shirt-wearing form of Bray Wyatt.

 _Uh oh._

As I took a step backwards away from him instinctively, he grinned and mirrored me by stepping in close,

"Now, now," he offered, oddly unblinking, "You don't need to be frightened of good old Bray. You've spent too long with those little _Shield_ boys and they've been filling your head with lies."

"So you're not a cult leader?" I asked without thinking, watching as something flickered in his gaze. Had I asked the right thing or the drastically _wrong_ thing? Luckily Bray threw his head back and laughed. It wasn't a great sound though, in fact it was manic although figuring that he was potentially distracted I tried to duck past.

It didn't work.

Instead he side-stepped surprisingly quickly, holding his hands up in a move of submission that was hard to pull off since he wouldn't let me leave. How had I gotten myself into this situation? Where had he _come_ from?

"Do you call _your_ family a cult, _cherie_?"

What the hell was up with the nickname? I wet my lips nervously,

"N-no, but – I mean – I'm kind of _between_ families at the moment, so when I get a new one I'll _definitely_ let you know."

In line with my habit to gabble when nervous, I was opening the floodgates of conversation to Bray. I doubted it was the answer he'd been expecting, so I wasn't surprised when his thick brows drew in.

"Between families Little Bird?"

Okay, _cherie_ was better.

"Um, _kind_ of – ,"

"Then maybe you should come with me."

"Huh?"

That seemed unlikely but Bray was clearly into it and as I stepped back again I collided with the wall. His eyes were pale and had he _seriously_ not blinked yet? I could _smell_ him he was standing so close and while Dean's scent was manly and utterly enticing, Bray's was suffocating and slightly unclean,

"My family _always_ has room for new members. Especially lost souls with nowhere left to turn. It's a dangerous world out there for a Mockingbird – come with me and we can save you from the storm."

At that exact moment, the bathroom door opened and the woman who had caught me talking to the ceiling walked back out and stopped in obvious concern. Bray watched her sharply but moved to let her past him and I seized my chance and sped away too. In fact I practically _sprinted_ along the corridor, checking behind me and – yep – there was Bray, walking steadily but still catching up to me and brushing past the woman who now _knew_ I was insane.

As I skidded round the corner I collided with someone who grabbed my wrist and instinctively I yelped. In my panic I assumed it was one of the Wyatts, but a burst of fireworks went off instead,

"Lauren?"

" _Dean_ – ,"

"What's going on?"

Interesting question. What _was_ going on? I shook my head at him,

"I – I don't know. He was just there and I – ,"

"What?" Dean frowned, "Slow down. Who was there?"

" _The cult leader_ ," I hissed back and Dean stiffened, his face hardening in anger,

"You mean Wyatt?"

That was it, we'd said his name too many times and like _Beetlejuice_ the Bearded One came lumbering around the corner. He stopped on seeing us and smiled in amusement. Unfortunately it wasn't a two way street and the second he saw him, Dean's grip grew tighter and he towed me behind him in an attempt to keep me safe,

"Well would you look at this pretty little picture," Bray rasped out, before frowning at Dean, "You know, you really shouldn't be telling Mockingbird that she can't put her trust in me and my boys. It gives the wrong impression and we don't want that now, do we Little Bird?"

As Bray tried to look at me over his shoulders, Dean snapped his fingers so sharply that I jumped,

"Hey, you don't get to look at her Wyatt – she's off limits. You got that?"

Bray grinned,

"Come on now Dean, that ain't fair on the rest of us. Didn't your mother ever teach you to share?"

I blinked and Dean stepped forwards to meet him, pressing himself up against the rounded chest. The ferocious Dean was back in abundance and in a moment I was right back there in the motel, watching as he spat threats into Jeff's goatee and geared himself up for the one-punch knockout.

"Listen Wyatt – you piece of crap – if you want a woman, try your mother or your sister, or whoever it is you in-breed with these days. Because the women out here in the real world? Not happenin'. They don't want a single fuckin' thing to do with you."

Bray's eyelid twitched slightly as Dean hit a nerve, but what about I didn't want to know. His lack of prowess in the lady department, sleeping with his mother or a little bit of both? It was still a question I was mentally debating as the doors to the diner swung back open and two more bearded figures strolled out. Rowan and the other one – what was his name – _Harper_. At once I surged forward and grabbed at Dean's arm,

"We need to go."

"You go," he responded, his tone still icy and his gaze not shifting, "I'll be right there."

" _No_."

Despite the fact that I was scared completely witless, there was no way I was prepared to leave him alone and so I tugged him with all of the strength I could muster, which succeeded in pulling him back a single step. He tried to unravel my hand in frustration, but I clung on like a spider monkey,

"No Dean, come on – think about Hunter,"

Initially it had seemed like a good idea. The boss hated fighting. Dean _himself_ had said it earlier, but in the heat of the moment the boss card didn't work. Not that Bray helped me out in that department, grinning toothily,

"That's right little Hound of Justice, think of your master."

Dean strained again and I struggled to hold him. I needed a new plan and I needed one fast, so putting my hands on either side of his face, I forced him to look at me and let the words tumble out,

"Think about Hunter _naked_."

 _That_ worked.

If anything a little _too_ well because not only did it abruptly shake Dean from his anger but it also drew the Wyatts attention as well. For the first time all four men seemed united and their common ground was confusion at me.

"The fuck – ," Dean started but I didn't let him finish, simply continuing to pull him away. My heart was pounding, I needed him to come with me and thankfully – slowly – he grudgingly did. We were almost outside before Bray spoke up again, calling out gratingly,

"See you at the show Dean," he was grinning again and it quickly moved my way, complete with an old fashioned sweep of his hat, "Until next time _Mockingbird_."

Dean turned back again, ready for action and I looped my entire arm around his and nestled down into his side like a child. He'd have to physically drag me with him if he wanted to fight.

"Please Dean, I'm fine. I just want to leave."

It came out as nothing more than a whisper but thankfully it seemed to do the trick and with a conflicted sounding growl of frustration, Dean stepped out through the doors beside me. The hot Texas sun shone down like a dart and instantly burnt off the stench of the Wyatts. Roman and Seth were out waiting by the rental and as we crossed the lot towards them, Dean kept his voice low,

"The fuck did he say to you back there?"

"Nothing really, he – he just startled me is all."

"Lauren," he shot back, not buying my coolness, "You fuckin' _ran_ into me. What did he say?"

I shrugged,

"He kind of invited me to join him – _them_ I guess – his cult I mean."

"Why?"

"Um," I swallowed uncertainly, "About that. I _might_ have mentioned not having a family and after that he just wouldn't let it go. He called me _cherie_ which is weird because he's not French, or I mean, at least I don't _think_ he is."

Dean sighed angrily,

"Why the hell would you say that?"

"The _cherie_ thing?"

"No, about not having a family? How do you go to the bathroom for five minutes and end up swapping life stories with Bray Wyatt? See this is the reason I didn't want you to work here. These people are dangerous – they love easy prey. It's bad enough when it's some fuckin' rookie, but when they think you're just the pretty girl backstage? _Jesus._ They're gonna be all over you, trust me."

I blinked as I tried to get my head around his monologue. There was the _pretty_ line again. The tiny feminist inside of me bailed and I bit back a giggle but obviously not well,

"It's not fuckin' funny Lauren."

"No, I know, I wasn't – ,"

"I mean it. I can't always be there to watch out for you and tonight you're gonna be on your own. I need you to promise you'll be fuckin' careful and stay as far away from the Wyatts as you can."

Seth and Roman were watching us closely, clearly sensing that something had gone on. I watched them absently and Dean bumped into me, forcing the issue,

" _Promise me_."

"Uh-huh," I nodded, "Yep, I promise – cross my heart and, well, hope _not_ to die."

But how could I promise him that I would be careful when I didn't even know who to be careful _of_? After the Wyatts I wasn't certain of anything, except for one growing realisation –

Wisconsin was a very, _very_ long way off.

* * *

 **Oooh, big bad Bray Wyatt, huh? I literally love that his character is so creepy. Gives a poor writer endless possibilities and makes for a super protective Dean of course. As ever, let me know what you're thinking.**

 **Until next time...**


	12. Storm In A Teacup

**Oooh, reviews! I totally love them!**

 **MizHyde, I know right? She's so much trouble! Gets worse before it gets better as well! At least Dean's there to keep an eye on her though!**

 **Skovko, I like the word colourful, it's kinder than saying hopeless, which, if I was being cruel, I** _ **might**_ **say she was!**

 **Psion53 I'm glad you like protective Dean (I do too) he's going to crop up an awful lot! That won't be the only time we see Bray either, as you are about to find out… (dun dun dun)**

 **Guest, thank you! Hope you like this one. Not a lot of Dean, but I hope it moves things along.**

 **ThatGirl54, Hi! I'm so glad you like her and especially that you like her with Dean! She's been so much fun to write, I've had a ball with this one. Hope you like where the rest of the story goes.**

 **So now, without any further ado, Sunday's installment. Here we go!**

* * *

 **Storm In A Teacup**

The guys didn't physically leave my side until they had delivered me to Hunter in person. We hadn't specifically told Seth and Roman what had happened with the Wyatts, but the bare bones had been enough and although the _Creepy Coop_ Gang were a good hour behind us, it didn't stop The Shield acting as my personal guards. Not that Hunter had looked surprised to see them round me when they'd marched me through his office door. Maybe that was just what they were like? Maybe it wasn't _me_ they were protecting but their livelihoods.

I could totally understand that.

"Thanks fellers, I can take it from here."

Dean had lingered a second longer than the others and his eyes had bored into me.

 _Be fucking careful._

It was fast becoming a mantra of his and I'd swallowed and offered him back a quick nod.

 _Don't worry, I got this_.

I doubted it was comforting and it was probably the reason he wearily shook his head. Fortunately Hunter had remained oblivious to all of it and I'd sat down awkwardly and let him close the door.

Thus had proceeded what had easily been the most awkward ten minute period of my life. Beginning with him throwing me a bizarre looking half-grin and then blowing a breath out,

"So, how have things been?"

It was almost like he'd bumped into an old girlfriend which – in a really weird way – he kind of _had_. I nodded back at him formally,

"Um, good."

"The Shield got you here alright?"

"Uh huh, they were great."

"Good," he nodded, gazing around nervously, "That's – um – well, obviously that's good."

The following pause seemed to drag on forever and I eventually broke it by offering up a squeak. As in _literally_ my voice went suddenly squeaky and I coughed in an attempt to bring it back down,

"Uh, Stephanie not here?"

"She'll be along later."

"Great," I smiled, silently thinking _damn_ and hoping the expression didn't carry in my eyes. Hunter looked up and me and snorted almost wryly,

"She's not as bad as she made out you know. She's actually sweet and pretty loving. She just knows what this business is like and she's protective – of the company _and_ of her family as well."

In response I wanted to laugh or snort sarcastically, but knowing that I was still his unverified daughter and that Stephanie was his _definitely verified_ wife, I simply bit my lip and nodded back at him, while offering up a ghost of a smile. Suddenly it seemed sensible to change the conversation and so I awkwardly offered up the only topic I had,

"Any word on the – you know – _results_ yet?"

"Not yet, we're expecting them within the next two days."

"Oh."

Sadly that left us with _another_ awkward silence and – _god_ – why did it have to be so damn hard? The man was supposed to be my father. If we couldn't talk easily then what hope did we have? Or maybe he was holding back and waiting for confirmation. Stephanie had probably drawn up a contract demanding that he not get too personally involved.

"Right then," he announced abruptly, making me startle, "Let's get you settled into your job."

 _Job_.

Okay, so maybe Dean was right on that one, but I followed the boss dutifully as he lead me along the corridors and to a low space behind a curtain filled with monitors and props. A willowy man was bent double underneath it and when he turned and saw us, he scuttled over in a flash. He was instantly the campest person I had ever come across and I _loved_ it.

"Oh, this must be her."

I had put out a hand,

"Lauren."

"Matt Pearsell."

It was hard to believe that anyone could be so skinny without being blown clean away by each breath, but there he was, _bouncing_ in front of me, with a thin little goatee and a bush of slicked back hair. Hunter smiled thinly,

"Matt is the head of the team of runners, he'll being looking after you tonight."

I pictured Dean's expression on seeing Matt as my security and smiled broadly as I nodded my assent. Take _that_ Bray Wyatt – come and get me through _this_ guy.

"Thanks."

"So – uh – I'll leave you to it," Hunter coughed uncertainly, scratching at the back of his head, "If you need anything, just swing by my office. _Anything_. I mean that Lauren, okay?"

"Sure."

With that we watched him head off in silence, cutting a determined-looking path across the floor. There was a beat once he had gone in which I wasn't sure _what_ to do, although fortunately Matt broke the _awkward_ with a whistle and turned to me with a bright-eyed grin,

"Wow, what did _you_ do? Usually he does nothing more than grunt at us mere mortals, but _you've_ got an invite to waltz right through the door."

"Oh – uh – he's an old friend of the family."

I mean, it wasn't a total lie, right?

Fortunately I managed to deflect the extra questions by pretending that I was keen to get started with the job and as it transpired being a runner wasn't the _worst_ thing they could have asked me to do. In fact it was almost fun running errands and it certainly helped to keep myself busy. Once I'd got the hang of it, the corridors of the arena had almost made sense to me and I'd made sure to take mental notes of crates and boxes, using them to plot myself a little map. It had also brought out the long-time waitress in me and so essentially I had found myself more than happy to make drinks, collect towels and generally sprint around. It had also helped that I was wearing a headset which – come on, let's face it – was pretty damn cool.

The closer we got to the beginning of _Show Time_ , the busier and more frantic everything became. From my position backstage – which I was told was called _Gorilla_ – I could slowly hear the crowd noise begin to build up, starting off as muted sounding chatter and then rising to a fully restless buzz. At one point Matt tapped me on the shoulder and giggled lightly,

"I _love_ this part."

Sure enough when the curtain dropped and the lights flickered on and the music hit in, the entire place went instantly ballistic and the cheers made me giddy and happy all at once.

"See?"

I nodded,

"I _totally_ get it!"

One by one the roster filtered past us and headed out to take part in each match. My job was to wait for them to get back behind the curtain and offer them water or anything else they might want. Despite my misgivings – fuelled by Dean mostly – the majority of wrestlers I met were pretty nice and apart from some winks and a graze across the ass cheek, I was able to almost completely relax. I couldn't just do it, I was actually _enjoying_ it.

The wrestling world was my kind of place.

As a crackled-sounding theme came on, I glanced towards the curtain, not seeing a superstar standing in place. Over the past hour I'd gotten pretty used to seeing them – pumping their fists and jumping up and down – but this time there appeared to be no one waiting and when I looked up to Matt with a frown of confusion, he ushered me around to sneakily look at the screens. Three wrestlers were making their way in through the crowd and my heart flipped on instinct as the camera zoomed close.

 _Holy crap_.

Was that Dean? It was – it was The Shield– swaggering down the arena steps like they owned them and ignoring the shouting and braying of the crowd. I blinked in surprise as I heard all the _booing_ and turned to Matt with a genuine frown,

"Are they the bad guys?"

He blinked back at me like I was crazy,

"Um, _The Shield_? Where have _you_ been? They've been taking people out for most of the year now. The most dominant faction the company has ever seen."

Well they certainly hadn't mentioned _that_ and as for the whole line of _taking people out_ , wasn't that exactly why Roman had told me the Wyatt family were such bad news? I glanced up again as the three of them reached ringside and I drank in the purpose I could see on each face. It was just the same way they been in the diner when Bray Wyatt and his Family had suddenly shown up. _This_ time however they could unleash on the challenger, although unfortunately I didn't actually get to see that part, as Matt quickly put up a hand to his headset and spoke into the microphone,

"Okay, understood. Hey Lovely Lauren, you've got your next job. Fandango wants a soda and lime _with_ ice delivered to his locker room, _stat_."

I blinked at Matt curiously,

"Um, _Fandango_?"

"Yeah, he salsa dances, wears these really tight shiny pants – no, you know what, I can get it."

I giggled and moved off a step, holding him back,

"Oh no, not so fast – _this_ I think I gotta see for myself."

"Alright," Matt sighed as I headed off to get the order, "But just remember, I saw him first."

As it turned out jealousy wasn't an issue because although Fandango was quite a sight – he was practicing the steps for the rhumba in the corridor when I finally caught up with him – he was _definitely_ not my type. Chiselled, okay yes and with a nice strong jawline but far too egotistical to be of any interest. Basically, he just wasn't Dean.

 _Focus Lauren, you're working here._

Initially it was difficult to even make myself known to him over the blaring of a strong Latino beat, so I sidled in closer, shouting his name and feeling like a moron. I should have let Matt take the drink in the first place. It was _so_ not worth it to see some shiny pants.

"Um, excuse me, are you Fandango? I've got some refreshment for you. Soda and lime?"

He spun around in an elaborate dance step and I ducked as he threw his leg over my head. When I dared to blink up again uncertainly, he was kneeling in front of me, striking a pose as the song came shivering to a powerful end. In the silence all I could hear was a ringing in my eardrums and so it took me a moment to hear what was being said,

"Huh?"

"I _said_ I ordered a soda water and lime and instead I have been given a beautiful woman."

I blinked at him stupefied and then glanced around us, not really sure what he was talking about. I offered out the drink and he took it from me quickly, before putting it back down and grabbing both of my hands.

 _Oh_.

With a flick of his wrist he pulled me towards me and leant forwards like we were about launch into a dance. My cheeks flushed heavily and I laughed my embarrassment,

"Um, probably not such a good idea, I – I've been told I've got two left feet."

"Then let me teach you," he purred, shifting closer and leaning us until I was resting on his knee. If I moved or – worse – if he let go of me, then I was going to end up in a heap on the floor and knowing that I was half-hanging from his biceps, he pressed his groin towards me _hard_ ,

" _Whoa, whoa_ – ,"

"It's all in the hips," he murmured into my earlobe, beginning to slowly rub his pelvis up and down. Was he seriously using dance to gradually dry hump me? I tried to pull back – the fall be damned – it was still a better option than being assaulted by a jackass.

"Um, no thanks – no dancing for today, I've got to get back and make more drinks. Hey, why don't you take a sip of yours, huh? It's good, I should know, I – I poured it myself."

His lips brushed my neck,

"Let yourself go."

As it turned out however _he_ let go first, or rather was dragged away by a big firm hand. For a moment I assumed that my saviour was Dean – why wouldn't I when it had always been him – then I wondered if it was Roman or Seth, maybe even _Hunter_ was saving my ass? In the end however it was none of the above and as Bray Wyatt slammed Fandango into the brickwork I gasped and felt myself shift back. It was out of the frying pan and into the fire, but for some strange reason, I couldn't make myself run. In this I was strangely at odds with Fandango who was positively _squirming_ in the bigger man's grip,

"Please – ,"

"Mockingbird doesn't want your dancing. You made a mistake in touching her _boy_. This world is a strange and cruel place, you know that? Don't make it harder for yourself than it needs to be."

He dropped Fandango again like he was trash and the glittery lothario practically _ran_ off, with Bray Wyatt laughing manically behind him,

"Hey boy, you forgot your drink – oh well – I guess that makes it mine."

I blinked at him, not sure what I was feeling. On the one hand Bray Wyatt had saved me from a groping but on the other hand he was pretty frightening as well and as he drained the lime and soda like a camel, I tried my old trick of trying to sidle by. It didn't work and he once again side-stepped me, still throwing back the remains of the drink. He finished and smacked his lips together satisfied and then looked down with a twinkle in his eyes,

"What drink do you call that?"

 _Huh?_

"You mean s-soda and lime?"

"I like it. I think I could have me some more."

It wasn't exactly what I had been expecting, but at least it seemed to offer a get-out clause.

"In that case, why don't I make you up a fresh one? I'll really go wild and throw in some extra lime."

Once again Bray side-stepped my efforts and I flinched a little as we pressed up against the wall. What was his deal? What did he want from me? More importantly, where the hell was Dean?

"Sssh," he whispered, startling me completely, "I meant it when I said you shouldn't be scared. Now I know I came on a little _strong_ in the diner but I want to make that up to you – show you that you and I can be friends."

Friends? Well that was an interesting scenario seeing as he frightened me half to death. Still it was possible I had sort of _misjudged_ him. He had scared off Fandango after all. Besides, Roman had told me that the Wyatts hurt people but Matt had just said The Shield did the same thing. Were the Wyatts as dangerous as Dean made them out to be, or was it all just some unresolved wrestling beef? I looked across at Bray somewhat appraisingly and although the eyes were unnaturally sharp, I didn't feel like they were trying to intimidate and so I breathed out shakily,

"Why _should_ we be friends? I don't want to be in the middle of some rivalry, so if this is about an issue with The Shield then I'm – ,"

He chuckled, which instantly stopped me dead, still not sure whether the sound was one I liked.

"Little Bird it isn't about that – this is about giving you all the help you need. This place? It's different from the real world – _I get that_ – so all I'm saying is that if you ever need me, I'll be here."

I bit my bottom lip and then swallowed uncertainly, managing a brave-seeming nod of my head. Honestly I was so confused by his sentence that I simply didn't know _what_ to think. He pressed the glass back into my hand and then reached over, tapping me on the nose with the pad of his thumb. Unlike Dean I did _not_ get fireworks and instead my heart turned over in alarm.

"Think about it Mockingbird," he sing-songed lightly before thankfully turning to let me scurry past, "If you ever need to find me, just follow the buzzards."

I didn't even know what that _meant_ but it didn't much matter, I just wanted to get away. As I chased through the corridors, I spotted Dean in the distance and almost as if working on some sort of telepathy he looked up and stopped as I came bustling his way. Unfortunately however, before I could get there, another voice suddenly called out my name.

"Lauren?"

I jumped a little.

 _Oh god, what now_?

But in spinning towards the tones I found only Hunter, who was standing smiling lightly and beckoning me in through the door to his office.

"Oh, I – do you need something?"

"Yes, can I borrow you for a minute? In here?"

I stepped towards him and glanced back at Dean, waving my hand in a _never mind_ gesture. He frowned a little but couldn't do much as I stepped across the threshold and let Hunter shut the door. The second I was in there, I felt myself stiffen.

Stephanie had turned up.

 _Oh great joy_.

She stared at me icily from over by the window and neither of them spoke as Hunter moved back to his desk. He was acting as if he hadn't even seen her – which didn't seem likely since she was hard to ignore – although as he lowered down onto the table, she stepped forward and placed her hand on his arm. I couldn't really miss the message. Whatever was about to be said, they were clearly united on as a couple. But what were they united _about_? Was it the test results? Were they back already? Two hours ago Hunter had told me they weren't. Maybe they weren't. Maybe they had decided that no matter the outcome, they didn't want me in their lives. It could have been _anything_ and my heart beat wildly and my palms became clammy. What exactly did they want?

"So," Hunter offered, "Matt tells me you've been doing well tonight?"

"He did? Um, well, I mean I _guess_ – ,"

"You've enjoyed it? Haven't had any trouble?"

"Nope," I replied, biting back the additions _except for being manhandled by a lecherous dancer and being scared half-witless by a cult leader with a beard_ , "No trouble at all."

Hunter smiled,

"Good."

He actually seemed to relax a little and I blinked at him in realisation. Wait, was this my one-day _appraisal_? Already? _That's_ what I was getting worked up about? A smile of relief began to quirk my lips up but then Stephanie stepped forward and made it quickly disappear.

"We wanted to talk to you about what happens tomorrow."

"Um, _tomorrow_?"

"Yes," Hunter put in, "The company has two tapings a week, one was last night and one is tonight – they're our main shows, _Raw_ and _Smackdown_. After that the guys get a couple of days off, kind of like our version of a weekend. _Then_ , leading in to the next week's tapings we put-on _House Shows_ – which are smaller events. Is – uh – is any of this making much sense?"

I nodded keenly,

"Uh-huh, yep – I _think_ I'm getting it. So tomorrow night would be, the weekend? I mean, it's actually midweek, but it's a weekend _here_?"

"That's right," Hunter grinned and was that a flash of pride there? Clearly he was pleased that I was taking it in.

"Which _means_ ," Stephanie interjected somewhat harshly, not liking the sudden paternal delight, "That we have ourselves a _tiny_ little problem about what to do with you in the meantime."

"Um," I stuttered, "Oh, well I guess – ,"

"Hey, don't worry," Hunter offered smoothly, carefully placing his hand over mine and in the process missing the narrowing of his wife's eyes as she stood and mentally dug my grave, "We're putting you up in a hotel on the company."

I hadn't been expecting _that_.

"What?"

"We're flying you out to the House Shows a little early and setting you up with a room in town. We want you backstage over the weekend helping – like you did tonight. Does that sounds okay?"

"Wait, you're – you're _giving_ me a room?"

"For a few days," Hunter nodded, "Until the shows start,"

"After that," Stephanie sniped sharply, trying to wrestle back some control, "You'll be travelling to the venues with The Shield boys again. Unless you've got a _problem_ with that?"

I shook my head and bit down a grin,

"No, no problem."

No problem _at all_.

Stephanie smirked at me evilly and I pitied her. Clearly she still thought The Shield were her spies. I wondered briefly what exactly they had told her. Whatever it was she'd obviously liked since she was prepared to allow them to stick close by me. Hunter for his part looked a little reluctant but maybe that was the trade-off that had helped them unite? Hunter got to keep me in the business and Stephanie got to make use of her hounds. Either way it suited me perfectly – a fact I was pretty keen not to let on.

Me and Dean, together on the road again.

"But obviously if the results come back negative," Stephanie continued, trying to sound nonchalant and missing by a mile, "Then you won't need to worry about getting to the House Shows, because – as we agreed – we'll just fly you back home and pretend this little _diversion_ never happened."

It was a warning and one that I was all too aware of.

 _Don't get comfortable_.

She still didn't believe me.

"Uh huh," I nodded, trying to seem respectful, "No, I get it – I totally understand."

Hunter smiled and squeezed my hand at which point I realised that he was actually still holding it. I blushed and instantly thought back to Dean's words – _results or not, he thinks you're his kid_ – and for the first time since I'd got there, I could honestly _see_ it. Maybe having Hunter as a father would be a good thing? It was a fact he confirmed as he gently smiled across,

"If you need anything, you know where to find me."

"Well I'm sure she won't," Stephanie fired back, "In fact, I'll _see_ to it that she won't need to. I will make sure that our little Lauren has everything she could ever want."

To Hunter it probably sounded pretty thoughtful, but to me it sounded like an out and out threat. If Stephanie was organising me a hotel room, I was going to have to check for assassins beneath the bed. I swallowed and managed a wobbly smile back at her, trying not to show the uncertainty I felt,

"Thank you Stephanie, that's – that's very nice of you."

 _Nice for the Wicked Witch of the West._

But beyond the malice, everything was changing and in the blink of an eye it had all become _real_. The stakes – which before had been set pretty low down – had suddenly become impossibly high. If the paternity test somehow turned out to be negative then I didn't just lose my new found job, I also lost my vision of a father and worst of all, I lost Dean as well.

It was going to be a long wait for any answers.

I only hoped I could hold out until then.

* * *

 **I know, I know, barely any Dean, but I make up for that in the next chapter, I promise. There are going to be the occasional no-Dean chapters, not many, but a couple. I apologise now for that! Still, I hope you enjoyed this installment. See you all next time! Over and out.**


	13. Up In The Clouds

**The good news is that our main man is back in this one! You're very welcome everyone!**

 **Psion53, poor old Hunter, caught in the middle! You're going to see a lot more of that, in fact, this story is kind of rough on him...oh well!**

 **MizHyde, yeah, Dean's not a very happy bunny (as you will see!) Can't wait to get to the chapters when they're traveling together, but there's a couple more to get out of the way first.**

 **ThatGirl54, you'll have to see if you trust Stephanie or not as the story unfolds. There's a WHOLE lot more Steph to come!**

* * *

 **Up In The Clouds**

My plan had been to hang around for Dean and get a lift back to the hotel with the guys, which also would have given me the perfect opportunity to fill them in on my inaugural night. However, it turned out Seth had been right and tapings ran on far later than I had thought, especially for the top performers which evidently included The Shield. As the night had gone on and other superstars had headed homewards, Hunter had provided me a driver and a car, so I had settled instead for texting Dean from my hotel room, just to let to him know that I had survived my evening and hadn't been kidnapped or beaten up or whatever.

 _Back at the hotel. Night was good. They want me to help at the House Shows as well. I'm flying out there tomorrow morning. I don't know what you were worried about._

I mentally debated adding a few kisses but thought that might be a little too bold and settled instead for a smiley face – like a teenager – and sent it before I doubted that as well. After it had gone I folded back into the bed, at which point sleep had hit me like a freight train.

In a matter of seconds I had been out like a light.

I had figured that I would bump into Dean come morning but predictably life then conspired against me in the form of the alarm not waking me up. Okay, so maybe I'd been so exhausted that I'd forgotten to set it, but that wasn't the point. The point _was_ that waking up to a phone call from reception, telling me that my car had arrived was _not_ a good way to start my morning and even worse, it gave me no time to see Dean.

 _Ugh_.

It was weird how much that one fact got to me. For the last few days I'd been with him almost constantly and while that wasn't long _at all_ it still made me panicky to know I'd be apart from him. After all, he was basically my glowering comfort blanket – the guy who had steered me through everything so far. The world of wrestling was still frighteningly new to me, but with him there things hadn't seemed quite so bad.

I checked my phone and was disappointed to see nothing. No texts, no calls. Maybe Dean didn't care? It would probably be a relief for him to have some time away from me. Although would he have tried to kiss me – _twice_ – if that was true? I was beginning to turn myself into a crazy person and so I took a deep breath and psyched myself up. I was strong, I was independent, I wasn't an idiot. I could _do_ this and what was more, I would be fine.

By the time the car had dropped me off at the airport, I was feeling very nearly self-assured and as I stood in line waiting patiently for boarding, I put in my earphones and cranked up the sound. We shuffled forwards one by one slowly and as I stood I started to tap my foot in time, mouthing the lyrics and grooving my shoulders as the songs came thick and fast. I _might_ have even hummed. In fact I found myself getting so into it that the hand on my shoulder made me squeal out loud and I spun around with my heart beating wildly, into grinning – and very welcome – blue eyes.

" _Dean_?"

In response he raised a devilish brow at me and captured the tip of his tongue with his teeth. It was a thing of his – playing with his mouth – and it was so irresistible that it made me catch my breath.

"Surprised?"

I laughed and flung my arms around him, unable to help it,

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for the food," he offered flatly, but I could hear he was smiling in spite of himself and his arms folded round me and briefly held me close to him, enveloping me in worn leather and delicious aftershave. Yep, there went the fireworks and – wait – what did he say? I pulled back from him and frowned in confusion,

"Huh?"

"Come on, what do you think? It's an _airport_ Lauren, I'm catchin' a flight out of here."

"You mean – ," I stopped, "Are you on _my_ flight?"

He grinned,

"Well, technically you're on mine since I actually _live_ in Vegas and you're just connectin' there."

I couldn't breathe – I couldn't believe it – Dean and I were on the same flight. There I was thinking he didn't care about me and he had actually come and found me out. I thought back to my text and couldn't help but wonder if it was just a coincidence or whether he'd deliberately found my departure time. Either way it was beyond fantastic and if we could somehow manage to sit together then that would easily be the icing on the cake.

"Where's your seat?"

He flipped round his ticket and I peered at it crestfallen. He was several classes up. I guess he needed it to unfurl his legs or something but even so, the thought of being in the same place for three hours without actually being _together_ really, really sucked.

"What have you got?"

I showed him,

"Coach."

"So I guess the Wicked Witch handled the booking on that one? Since I _know_ Hunter would have put you up the front – hell, he'd have put you up with the _pilot_. Or maybe on the private jet."

"They haveone of those?"

He sighed in long-suffering and slung an arm around my shoulders which promptly made my heart explode. Being near him – touching him especially – made me feel like a teenager again and I revelled in the butterflies and the tingling in my fingers. I hadn't felt like that in _so_ long. Everything about him brought me to life again.

Possibly more than I had ever known.

I was still busy thinking – okay, _fantasizing_ – about it, when he suddenly chuckled and pointed down at my phone,

"Def Leppard fan, huh?"

"Oh," I blinked dazedly, "Yeah. My mom brought me up on them. She had a thing for Rick Savage back in the day – well – _any_ man with long hair really. You know, she'd have been all _over_ Roman."

Dean snorted wryly,

"Most woman are.

"Not all of them," I answered and then blushed fiercely as his eyes flickered down at me teasingly, "Uh – I mean, not all women like the whole _long hair_ thing. Some women prefer it kinda short."

"Does that include you?"

I bit my lip,

"Maybe."

Suddenly the ticket line shuffled a step closer and the break in conversation allowed me a moment to compose. I wondered briefly if he could feel my pounding heartbeat since it felt like it was beating just under my skin. Apparently however, the answer was _no_ because as we drew to the head of the queue, he unwound himself from round me and ushered me on. Sadly, our little reunion was over and I deflated like a left over party balloon.

"Maybe see you up there?"

"Sure, I'll come find you."

I wasn't convinced that he actually meant it, but as I was still fresh off my earlier burst of confidence, I nodded and got on with boarding the flight. I didn't really _need_ Dean to come and find me but if he _did_ then that would be okay.

Whatever happened I was going to be fine.

Luckily however, he _hadn't_ been kidding, which – as it turned out – was a massive relief. I wasn't the most happy or experienced of flyers and the guy that I had been billeted next to wouldn't shut up. From the moment we took off he was already talking – running me through his past girlfriends list – and by the time the seatbelt sign had switched off again, he was still going strong. How many women had he _had_? It might not have been so horrible either, had every last story not seemed to get worse.

"Not that I _meant_ to kill Brandi's cat," he emphasised, pausing to push up his glasses a notch. His stomach was hanging over the armrest and awkwardly pinning my wrist underneath, "The damn thing just ran under my foot and – I mean – I'm a well-built guy, I'm practically all muscle, so Pumpkin never stood much of a chance. The orthopaedic surgeon was initially pretty hopeful, but in the end the spinal fusion didn't work. Can't win 'em all though – just tough luck I guess."

That and two hundred and fifty pounds on your back. I winced and tried to pull loose my arm. It didn't even _slightly_ move.

"Then there was Amanda – ,"

 _Oh god make it stop_.

"Enjoying yourself Princess?"

I looked up startled to find Dean staring back at me and from the way his smile started to broaden wickedly, the expression on my face was answer enough.

 _Save me_.

" _Uh_ , hey man, do you know her or something?"

As Boring Guy piped up somewhat obtusely – as if he thought he was actually getting somewhere with me – Dean cast down a withering gaze and leant forward until his arm was on the back of the chair. Almost instantly the bulky guy stiffened and I couldn't help but bite back a grin.

"Well enough to know that you're makin' her feel uncomfortable. I don't take too kindly to that."

He was in full-blown _Shield_ mode and although he was kidding, my seat buddy clearly wasn't so sure.

"What? No _dude_ , I mean – we were just _talking_ and I – ,"

Dean threw his thumb back over his shoulder, cutting him off sharply,

"Take my seat, go."

Boring Guy positively _scrambled_ to un-wedge himself and as his gut lifted off me, I seized back my arm. I did _not_ appreciate the fact that it was clammy and wiped it off with a shudder on my jeans. Beside me, boring guy was juggling his belongings and the second he moved, Dean was in his seat.

"But – ," my now _ex_ -seatmate gabbled, "Where were you even sitting dude?"

Dean waved a hand,

"Go that way, you'll find it."

To my surprise the guy shuffled off sadly and when I glanced back at Dean it was to find a wide grin. I rolled my eyes like a disapproving mother,

"You _do_ realise that was kind of mean? What if he tells the cabin staff you bullied him?"

"Then I'll tell _them_ he was being an ass. He won't complain anyway – he got a better seat out of the deal. Besides, I haven't met a hostess yet that I haven't been able to sweet talk my way around."

"Oh really?"

He raised his brows mischievously and I giggled a little and shook my head. I wasn't an idiot. I knew what type of guy he was and what with all the travelling he'd probably bed-hopped a lot. It was something I wasn't too keen to dwell on as it raised more questions than I felt capable of answering. Like, how the hell could I compare to past conquests and why on earth did he like _me_ in the first place? As silence threatened to sweep in around us, I opened my mouth to saying _anything_ at all, thankfully however, Dean got there before me and reached down into my carry-on and pulled something out,

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

He was holding up a copy of _World Wrestling Entertainment Magazine_ that I'd bought from a store before checking-in for my flight.

"Oh, I thought I'd do a little homework – you know – put names to faces, that kind of thing."

"So you didn't buy it for the pull-out of me then?"

"I didn't know there was one."

"You'll like it. I'm shirtless."

From the way he was grinning – that devilish smirk – I knew he was teasing me but I couldn't help blushing. I tried to cover it by shifting away from him and shrugging mildly,

"Uh huh, I mean, I did _wonder_ why it was half price."

His laughter was music – well, _gravely_ music – and it made me giggle a little back, feeling just about as contented as was possible given that we were in the middle of a flight. Shaking his head, he started flicking through the pages and I leaned in close, watching the faces flip by. Seeing my interest, he started pointing people out to me, accompanied by a – frequently unhelpful – little fact. For example, Ryback was termed a _Neanderthal_ , Brad Maddox was both _vain_ and a _pussy_ to boot and Jack Swagger was – well, much more simply – a _toolbag_. I can't say it particularly filled in any gaps for me but since it allowed me to lean up against him, I honestly didn't really care about that. As another page flipped by, I stopped him by stabbing it and snorting wryly,

"Well, I definitely know _him_."

It was that jackass Fandango and at the sound of my derision, Dean quirked up a brow,

"I'm guessing you got introduced last night?"

"I'll say and to a whole lot _more_ of him as well."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

As Dean's voice swiftly moved straight back to dangerous, I paused and resisted the urge to smack my head. Why the hell had I even _said_ it? The last thing I needed was for him to be pissed.

"Um," I shrugged, sounding hopeful, "Nothing?"

Dean wasn't buying it,

"Lauren, what happened?"

"I don't want to tell you."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because you'll only get mad and you really don't need to. I'm totally fine."

He shut his eyes,

"Lauren, I swear to god – ,"

"I took him a drink and he got a little friendly, but like I said, I'm _totally_ fine."

Dean blinked back at me and his eyes narrowed sharply, not taken in by my nonchalant façade. _Shield_ Dean was back in control again swiftly and the need for vengeance was not to be denied.

"What exactly do you mean by friendly?"

"Nothing really. A little bit of dancing and _maybe_ the tiniest hint of – um – rubbing."

"Rubbing? As in rubbing _against you_?"

I bit my lip,

"Well, I mean, kind of _up and down_ ,"

Instantly Dean screwed his fists up tightly and he looked away,

"That son of a bitch,"

As a couple across the aisle with a young son frowned at him, I jumped in quickly and put my hand on his chest. His head swung back to me but I could still see the ferocity and his shoulders were almost twitching he was so worked-up.

"Dean – _hey_ – I told you I'm fine. He's not the last guy to ever try and grab me and sadly I doubt he'll be the last. Really, your gender can be _not so_ charming. Besides, someone came and chased him away for me, so I'm pretty sure it'll be the only time he tries."

"Who?"

I blinked at him,

"Huh? Who what?"

" _Who_ came and chased him away from you?"

 _Uh oh._

I stiffened in alarm, not sure how to answer. Trust him to go and ask the _one_ damn question that was practically guaranteed to set him back off. Briefly I toyed with claiming it was Matt but – even if he knew who that was – the odds of a runner squaring up against a wrestler and coming out on top were basically nil. Dean was still watching me and as the silence grew longer he seemed to be getting more and more annoyed. In the end there was nothing to do but just say it and I blew a long breath out.

"Um, it was Bray."

Surprisingly enough, he actually said nothing. Well, for about ten seconds at least, because _after_ that his eyes shut in frustration and he let out a very aggravated sounding groan,

"Lauren – ,"

"What? It wasn't my fault."

"Didn't I tell you to stay away from them? _Fuck_."

As the family again turned our way in disgruntlement, I shuffled in closer and lowered my voice, forced into defending my weird bearded rescuer in a half-whisper that I hoped no one else would overhear,

"Look, I tried, okay? It's not like I called him over – he just showed up. He didn't have to either but he helped me. You know, I think it's possible you _might_ have misjudged him. I mean – sure he doesn't blink and he's terrifyingly creepy but deep down, I think he just wants to make friends."

For a second Dean simply blinked at me silently, as if debating whether anyone could be so dense. It wasn't the best look he'd ever thrown my way and I dropped my gaze to hide my red cheeks. This one wasn't a schoolgirl blush either but an _I must be an idiot_ embarrassment flush.

"Friends? Lauren, Bray Wyatt doesn't _have_ friends. He has zombie followers – you've fuckin' met them. Did they seem like his friends to you?"

"No but – ,"

"Exactly, because they're fuckin' _not_."

As his hiss bounced off the seats around us, my shoulders slumped a little in defeat. Everything had been going so utterly perfectly and suddenly it had all gone to hell. It was my fault – I knew it was – I had been careless but at the same time I was still pretty new to the business and I was trying to work out who I could trust. I mean, I still didn't even _know_ half of the roster and it sucked that the person I knew best was pissed.

"I'm sorry."

Instantly Dean's eyes flickered up to meet me and I was glad when the ferocity was quickly replaced. Instead he looked conflicted and a tiny bit guilty and although that wasn't much of an improvement, it was still a lot better than him cussing too loud.

"Lauren, you don't – you don't need to be sorry, alright?" he paused to run his hands through his hair, a sure sign that he was suddenly less confident. Evidently apologising wasn't his thing, "It's just – you know I have this _need_ to look out for you and with anyone else I'd be alright. But with Bray it's different, I don't know what he's thinkin' which means I don't know what he's thinkin' about _you_. I meant it when I said the guy was crazy. I've been in this business since I was sixteen and I'm tellin' you, I've never met anyone like him. The guy almost fuckin' scares _me_."

I chanced a smile,

"Almost?"

He threw me a wink – _there_ was my Dean,

"No one scares me, I'm Dean freakin' Ambrose. You're lookin' at one third of the god damn Shield. Most dominant faction the company has ever seen."

I smiled but his posturing made me recall something and I frowned as I carefully picked my words.

"You know when Roman told me the Wyatts hurt people?"

"Trust me Princess, he was playin' it down."

"Well someone backstage told me that _you_ guys hurt people and it's not like I'm saying that you're as bad as they are, I just don't get the difference. Why are the Wyatts worse than you?"

Dean licked his lips. At least he wasn't angry. It was probably a valid question after all and clearly not one he had experience in answering.

"Look, are The Shield the good guys? No, but that's business. We bust heads open and we make people pay. But what we do, we do with our fists, alright? Bray Wyatt? He messes with people's _heads_. He toys with them and not for your father or the company or _any_ damn thing. He does it because he _can_. He does it because he gets a fuckin' _kick_ out of it."

I shuddered and leant myself in closer as his words began to crawl under my skin,

"Why?"

"I don't know but it's why I don't want him anywhere near you – and look, I get that you're a nice girl or whatever and he saved you so now you think you owe him a chance, but if you listen to me about fuckin' _anythin'_ then it's gonna be this. Keep away from him. You hear?"

I nodded quickly,

"Uh huh, no more Bray."

Then I made the sign of a cross above my heart and held out my pinky for him to shake. He didn't but fortunately what he _did_ do was snort at me and abruptly the tension seemed to ebb away.

"I knew it was a bad fuckin' idea."

"What?" I frowned,

"Picking you up. I knew when you stepped into the rental place and started checkin' out my ass – ,"

"I did _not_ ," I gaped back at him horrified, not that my answer was especially truthful – in fact it was an unadulterated lie. He looked over and shrugged at me teasingly,

"What? I get it. My ass is pretty tight. Besides, you don't need to be embarrassed – I've checked yours out, like, a _bunch_ of times."

" _Dean_ ," I squeaked, swatting his arm and then covering my face up,

"It's pretty tight too."

"Okay mister," I put in laughing, even as I tried to look severe, "That's enough. I think it's best for everyone if you just go back to reading the magazine."

To emphasise my point I opened the pages up and spread it out across his lap. Fortunately for me, he didn't seem to question it and immediately pointed to a glossy headshot,

"Sheamus – never spent a day in the sun."

As I giggled I dropped my head down on his shoulder and took in a deep breath. Everything was fine. My eyes flickered shut but then suddenly sprang open as he started to chuckle,

"Hey, look at that. Didn't I tell you?"

"Huh? Tell me what?"

He grinned and pointed down at a page. Taking up a good half of one section was a picture of someone hung over the ropes. Their black shirt seemed to have been pulled up by Sheamus and peeled back up around their neck. What stood out however was a beautifully chiselled body and a sexy little waistline with the hipbones arching out.

I blinked and then I blinked again.

"Um, is that _you_?"

Dean nodded proudly.

"Oh yeah, all me. In the flesh. Hey, want me to tear it out so you can frame it or somethin'?"

My answer made him flat out laugh,

"Yes please."

* * *

 **I'm assuming we all know the picture I'm talking about, right? If not, go look it up. I promise you it'll be worth it! *Fans self* Anyway, I hope that chapter made up for no Dean in the last one. The next two are very much Hunter/Lauren based and I'll probably post them in quick succession, but once they're out of the way, we're straight back to Dean and things will move on a little more (I promise!)**


	14. The Results Are In

**Okay, so the next two chapters are non-Dean chapters (he's mentioned but he's not** _ **in**_ **them, if you know what I mean). Because of that, I'm going to post them more quickly, so I'll put the second one of those up tomorrow and then go back to every three days again. I'd love to hear what you think about this side of things and at least on this front, things move along…**

 **Psion53, well, to be fair, she has a pretty bad track record. You can't blame Dean for being** _ **too**_ **protective, right?!**

 **MizHyde, that's the thing about Bray Wyatt, you never know when he's going to pop up next (hints for the future maybe? I'm not saying) aww and thank you for calling them** _ **stupidly cute**_ **!**

 **Skovko, agreed, that match might not be their best one but it has certain highlights (that being one!) I hold it close to my heart for that reason…which probably makes me shallow, although on balance, that's fine!**

 **ThatGirl54, I think this chapter title might answer your question! Perfect timing, huh? I'm glad you're liking the Lauren/Hunter side of things, I've tried to strike a kind of a balance between that and Dean.**

 **Here we go…**

* * *

 **The Results Are In**

"Wowzer," Kelly offered for the third time and I nodded against my cell phone in agreement,

"I know."

"That _waist_ , it's just – it's almost pornographic. Oh who am I kidding? It's _better_ than that."

There was little I could say other than single syllable agreements. Besides, if I _had_ dared to offer up anything more, I probably would have broken off squealing like a schoolgirl and so in the end I had decided to simply play it cool.

"Yep."

I had texted Kelly an image of the picture the second I had stepped through the door of my hotel and ten minutes later she had rung me directly and started _gushing_ down the line.

"I can't stop looking at it – not that I want to. But you're saying this is him, right? This is Dean?"

"Uh huh, well, _part_ of him I guess,"

"Holy mother of god have mercy,"

"You're still looking at it aren't you?"

"Oh and you're _not_?"

She had a good point and as my silence spoke volumes, she let out a sudden, shaky sounding breath,

" _Oooh_ , I just want to keep on following those hip bones and dive my hand right down his pants – ,"

"Okay," I interrupted, feeling oddly jealous but also amused. It was an interesting mix, "I _think_ we may have just taken it too far, especially you since you're married _and_ pregnant."

Kelly snorted,

"Don't remind me, it's a total nightmare. Why do you think I'm so aroused? If my hormones had their way we'd be at it _hourly_ but Brent won't touch me – he thinks the baby might see."

"Is that – I mean, that's not possible, right?"

"Not even remotely, but try telling _him_ that. So until the moron comes to his senses, I hope you won't mind me mentally banging your friend."

In spite of the tiniest flicker of jealousy, I laughed and flopped back against the comfy King-sized bed. Thankfully – although she'd stiffed me on the plane tickets – Stephanie had booked me a pretty decent room and it wasn't in a crummy run-down place either, but in an honest to goodness, four star-rated hotel. I even had room service and a little sit-out balcony.

I'd never had a balcony before.

I wondered if Dean had a balcony where he lived. Was it an apartment or an actual house? I could imagine him somewhere just on the outskirts in a perfect mix of urban and serene. I liked the idea that his house had a garden. That way we could probably get ourselves a dog.

 _Wow. Too far_.

"Lauren, hello? Are you still there?"

"Huh? Yeah, sorry, I was – um – miles away."

"I bet you were and I'll also guess the reason. Does it start with a _D_ and end with an _Ean_?"

I bit my lip,

"Maybe, _or_ – you know – maybe not."

I wasn't exactly fooling anyone and Kelly simply sighed at me,

"Nice save, keep it up."

"What?"

"Laurie, it's pretty obvious that you're completely insane about him – every text you've sent over the last few days has his name in it somewhere."

I blinked in outrage,

"No they do not."

"Hold on, let me read a couple of them back to you,"

"Kelly, I don't need – ,"

"Okay, here's one. _Kind of got a little drunk last night and was almost taken advantage of by the weird front desk guy. Don't panic though, Dean came and saved me. Just threw up in front of him as well. So embarrassed._ "

"Well," I offered back, trying for nonchalant, "That's what happened. It's called _keeping you up to date_. As my best friend I just thought you might want to know that the guy I was with was keeping me safe."

She clearly wasn't listening to me,

"Ooh, here's a good one,"

"Kel – ,"

" _Guess what? I just met my father! Went better than I had hoped. Stepmother not exactly happy about it but I guess I really can't blame her for that. They want me to have a paternity test. Dean took me back to the hotel after. I told him about Hunter. I kind of had to since he saved me from being arrested by the security guy. He checked my room for potential kidnappers. He said they might want to ransom the boss' kid. He's such a goof. Had a kind of weird moment as well, like he maybe wanted to kiss me,_ " Kelly paused, "Need I go on?"

"No."

"You talk about him more than Hunter, who was _supposed_ to be who the whole trip was for."

"I _know_ ," I shot back, far too defensively, especially since she actually had a point, "But – I mean – I've met Hunter _twice_. Dean and I have been together a whole bunch. Of course I have more to say about him. We travel together. He's my _friend_."

"Your friend with the totally smoking body who almost kissed you twice, by my count."

We had been talking about it all for almost an hour and I had managed to leave very little detail out. It was a pre-requisite of both having a best friend and – more importantly – being a girl. It was paramount that Kelly knew every little detail but I suddenly found myself wishing I'd held back, mostly because the woman was relentless and I would literally never hear the end of it now. It was a suspicion confirmed by her very next sentence, which she tried to make sound deliberately casual,

"So tell me again why he didn't invite you back to his place? I mean, you did stop off in his hometown town after all and the pair of you both have two days doing nothing. You could have got busy doing _nothing_ in his room."

I blinked,

"Wow, you really _are_ turned on aren't you?"

"Yes I am and don't avoid the subject."

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

Okay, I kind of was but at the same time avoidance seemed easier than answering and so I let out a groan and dropped my head back. The worst part was that I had been asking myself the same question. Maybe not so much _why didn't he invite me_ but had he _wanted_ to? I simply didn't know. He had stayed in the seat beside me all flight and even let me hold his hand when turbulence had hit. Even _after_ we'd disembarked he'd stuck alongside me, taking me to my next gate and then hanging by the barriers up until the moment I'd finally checked in.

The goodbye between us had been nice but awkward. Like there was something that needed to – but couldn't – be said. I had wondered at the time if he had been mentally debating it – I was in Las Vegas after all and the two of us were friends, or flirt buddies or whatever – but in the end he simply opened his arms up and let me quickly nuzzle into his chest. His scent had been almost completely overwhelming, as had my jumbled thoughts.

 _I don't want you to leave._

His final words had been _you take care_ and I had smiled through my disappointment and promised him I would. It was stupid really. It was just for two days but so far it had only been eight hours and it already felt like a lifetime as it was. I had simply never felt like this about anyone.

 _Ever._

"Well?"

"Kelly," I sighed, "I've known him for less than a week, okay? Besides which I'm his boss' long lost daughter. Why the hell _would_ he invite me home?"

"Simple. Because he likes you."

My heart hitched at hearing the sentence so bluntly. I hadn't even dared to say it to _myself_.

"I mean – it isn't – we don't actually _know_ that."

"Oh come on Laurie, it's painfully obvious. Think about all the things he's done for you, huh? Saving you from getting molested, squaring up to that cult leader dude, snagging the seat from that guy on the plane, not to mention going completely psycho when he found out you'd been _dry humped_ against your will."

I shut my eyes, feeling queasy,

"Don't remind me."

"You really think he'd have done _any_ of that stuff if he didn't really like you? _Don't_ give me that line about being Hunter's daughter either because we _both_ know he was protective of you before he ever found out. I mean he's _told_ you that much – why don't you believe it?"

I sighed and twisted the edge of the comforter around my pinky finger.

"I – I don't know."

Which was just it.

I _didn't_.

After everything that had happened to me – after everyone I'd lost – it was difficult to believe that I was anything special. People didn't tend to stick around. I mean, obviously leaving wasn't my mom's choice but it _was_ my ex-boyfriend's _and_ my dad's and although I was trying to re-build the latter, the past had shaped the way I saw myself. Maybe that was why I didn't want to get too hopeful. I wanted Dean but I _didn't_ want him as well. I wasn't sure I could handle it if he left me – not that he was actually _with_ me yet and _god_ I was confused. My head was spinning.

In the background I heard the slam of a door and Kelly groaned heavily,

" _Ugh_ , Brent's home."

"Say hello from me – I miss that big lug,"

"Nope," she answered, chirpily defiant, "We're not talking. Not until he gives me what I want."

"Kelly, this is ridiculous, you can't force the man. He's nervous, okay? He's _allowed_ to be."

She sighed again, sounding defeated and angry and pretty frustrated all at once,

"I know, I know you're right, it's not his fault. But _god_ I need something or I think I'm gonna burst here. Oh well, I guess it's down to my trusty old rabbit and this _very_ lovely photo of Dean – ,"

"Hey bitch – ," I grinned in tones of mock-warning, "Get your hormonal hands off my man."

"Now _that's_ more like it."

I sat back giggling and then jumped bodily as a series of knocks pounded hard on the door.

" _Crap_."

"What was that? Was that someone knocking?"

"Uh-huh,"

"Oooh, do you think it might be Dean? I mean obviously I'd be bummed if you got some before me, but as your best friend, you know I'd be pleased for you too."

I rolled my eyes, my heart pumping from the shock of it,

"It won't be him Kelly,"

"How do _you_ know? Maybe he's been pining since the moment he left you and simply couldn't take it anymore. If it is, you _have_ to send me a picture of him shirtless, or naked – you know – whichever you prefer."

"Kelly, _behave_. I've got to go."

"Text me if it's him."

"It won't be – ,"

"But if it is – ,"

"Hanging up now Kelly, I love you, goodbye."

I ended the call at the exact same moment that the knocking on the door struck up again, _hard_. Who the hell was it? Had I ordered room service? Was this something else Stephanie had arranged? If that was the case then it was probably a rattlesnake. Unless – of course, for some reason – it _was_ Dean. I rolled off the bed and crossed towards the mirror, quickly trying to smooth out my hair. There was one wave sticking out in completely the wrong direction and I fluffed at it wildly which did nothing at all.

 _Breathe Lauren, that's it, just breathe through it._

It couldn't be Dean – I knew it couldn't – but at the same time, what if it actually _was_? With my heartbeat pounding I moved towards the threshold, took a deep breath and flung open the door.

"Hi."

A tall, well-built man was standing in front of me – a wrestler at least but sadly not Dean. I blinked in astonishment, my brain barely working,

" _Hunter_?"

He gave me a tiny little smile,

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything? Mind if I come in?"

I stepped aside to let him by me blankly, trying to work out why he was there. Was this some pre-arranged meeting I'd forgotten? Another appraisal? An inspection? _What_?

By the time my shaking hands got the door closed behind him, he was pacing up and down beside the bed and looking more unsettled than I could remember having seen him. Okay, granted, I'd only met him twice but each time he had been essentially unflappable including when I'd broken the news that – _hey guess what_ – I was his potential long lost daughter. Now however he seemed at sea and I chuckled somewhat nervously as his agitation got to me.

"Um, are you – is everything okay?"

He stopped in a heartbeat as if remembering I was there with him and took a deep breath,

"You might want to sit down."

In an instant I knew exactly what he was getting at and my eyes grew wider,

"Oh my god, they came back?"

The test results were in.

He nodded at me slowly and although he'd stopped moving, his face gave precious little away. I wondered briefly if he was wearing his game face, in the same way that Dean did when he wanted to look mean. Was Hunter really not feeling anything? Or was he just trying desperately to keep himself calm? Either way I didn't take his suggestion and remained standing stiffly with my heart in my throat.

"They came back this morning."

"W-what did they say?"

He seemed to take an eternity in answering and suddenly I knew what the contestants must feel like on the finale of _American Idol_ or _Got Talent_.

 _And the winner is…_

"They're positive Lauren. You're my daughter."

It was probably just as well that I was standing by the bedside because at his words my knees gave way and I dropped like a stone down onto the mattress, uttering a tiny squeak of alarm.

"Oh."

Hunter nodded but didn't say anything and it occurred to me that he was still processing it too. For a moment we simply shared the space in silence, considering just how much everything had changed. I mean, admittedly the pair of us were still essentially strangers but now we were strangers connected by _blood_.

 _Wow._

Eventually Hunter drew a shaky breath in and I was so surprised by the sudden burst of noise again that I jumped a little and made the bed springs flex,

"I thought it was best to tell you in person," he shrugged, his gaze continually flickering up and down as if direct contact might make one – or both – of us turn tail and bolt out of there like a startled gazelle, "I didn't want you hearing it over the phone. It didn't seem right."

I nodded,

"Thank you. I – I'm glad you did."

He smiled a little, looking relieved but _geez_ the whole thing was just so awkward. Had it been this uncomfortable all the other times? Or had the weirdness just magnified because he was my father – my actual, genuine, scientifically-proven father?

"Are you okay?"

I looked up at him quickly, startled from my reverie,

"Who me? Uh huh. Yep, just sort of _processing_. I mean, it's kind of a lot to – you know – _take in_. I always knew my mom wasn't lying but even so it's a pretty big deal. I can't even begin to imagine how _you_ must be feeling," I winced, "Or Stephanie – um – how has she been?"

I wasn't sure I particularly wanted the answer, but since there hadn't been any tremors on the Richter scale, I hoped that meant she hadn't erupted too hard. In response, Hunter smiled at me a little and whether guessing what I was thinking or touched by my concern for his wife I wasn't sure.

"Actually, she's okay. I mean, she's a little shocked by it, but she's taken it okay."

"Is – is she here?"

"No, but she knows I am and she gave me her blessing to fly up and see you. She understands."

Well that wasn't what I'd expected to hear, but if it meant that I didn't have to deal with her snippiness or – even better – that she was tentatively on board, then I was more than happy to accept his answer and I nodded at him,

"Oh well, that's good."

"The thing with Steph is – it's not that she didn't like you – it's just that she's protective of the people she loves. Her family built up the business from nothing and they've learnt that for every last drop of success, there's always going to be someone to try to take it."

"Like me."

Hunter hurried to clarify his statement, obviously fearing he'd said the wrong thing,

"But now she knows that's not the case and she also knows what this means to me, so – ,"

I blinked up at him, startled,

"It – it means something to you?"

In turn he seemed so surprised by my question that the awkwardness instantly dropped clean off.

"Of course it does," he frowned, "Lauren, you're my _daughter_. Believe me kiddo, that means a _lot_."

At the use of the nickname I couldn't help but smile at him and seeing it made him smile back as well. It was nice, it felt like a genuine _moment_ and in a heartbeat I felt our relationship might work.

I was his daughter, he was my father and he was right, it really _did_ mean a lot.

"So," I offered, feeling a little brighter, "What happens now?"

"I was thinking about that. How would you feel about me taking you for lunch tomorrow? I know a little place not far from here which looks out over the park. I could make us a reservation?"

I smiled,

"I'd like that."

"Good," he nodded and I could tell from the way his stance relaxed that he genuinely meant it.

He _wanted_ it to work.

For a second the pair of us fell back into silence and then he sucked a breath in and pointed towards the door,

"So, I've got to go and make some phone calls – ,"

"Right," I offered quickly, "Yep, of course you do."

Probably to a roomful of panicky lawyers who assumed that I had the newspapers plumbed into my phone, or to Stephanie to let her know the family silver was safe again and she could come out of the bunker or call off the hitman.

As Hunter stepped towards the door, I followed him, surprised that my shaking knees would let me stand. We stopped at the threshold somewhat uncertainly and Hunter looked back at me as if debating where to go. In the end however he simply held his arms out and pulled me towards him gently,

"Come here."

In a second I was enveloped within the confines of his suit and pressed in against him in a fatherly hug. It was a strange – but fortunately lovely – sensation and one that I had dreamed of many times before. I had never felt that I had missed out not having a father, but I had certainly wondered what it felt like – watching father-daughter dances at school and my friends at their weddings swaying with their dads. Finally however, I didn't have to wonder because _my_ father was there and he was holding me tight. It felt like a dream and although he was a stranger, there was a powerful connection that made it feel right. He released me with a sigh and I took a step back from him, my head spinning wildly.

"I'll pick you up tomorrow for lunch. We're still on for that right?"

"Uh, yeah," I nodded numbly and my obvious amazement made him smile a little more. Giving me a final glance, he left the room silently and pulled the door behind him with a click of the lock. It was all the encouragement I needed to turn around again and wobble my way unsteadily towards the bed.

 _Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit_.

I had a father.

"Mom," I glanced upwards, "Did you see _that_?"

Reaching over I snatched my phone up, grinning like an idiot.

 _I had a dad._

With shaking fingers I pulled up my contacts and Kelly's name immediately flashed up. Of course I would call her first and foremost – she was my best friend, she was the natural response – only instead I kept _on_ scrolling past her, frantically scanning names until I found the right one. Pressing dial, I sucked a breath in and waited.

" _Please_ answer."

He didn't disappoint.

Dean picked up on only the second dial tone and his question was cautious,

"You alright?"

"I don't really know. Hunter's just been here. He got the results back. She was right – he _is_ my dad."

* * *

 **So, next one tomorrow because I'm super kind to you (and also, I know, that we're all mostly here for Dean!)**


	15. Family Ties

**So, as promised, here's the next chapter. Normal service will resume on Wednesday!**

 **Skovko, how do you know there's going to be another storm? It might all be plain sailing for the rest of the...no, wait, you're probably right!**

 **ThatGirl54, Hunter's actually quite cute in this story, I mean, not always perfect but he's learning as he goes! Glad you like the dynamic between them.**

 **MizHyde, I know these sound like empty promises (at this point) but I promise things are going to develop over the next handful (ish) of chapters! I** _ **promise**_ **. Besides, you can't blame Dean for assuming something's going wrong when she calls him. It usually is!**

 **Psion53, I'm so glad you like Lauren and Hunter. It's an important part of the story (especially going forward) but yeah, safe to say, she's got it bad for Dean!**

* * *

 **Family Ties**

On realizing that I had been invited to lunch by a millionaire, I had started to imagine what the restaurant might be like. As a result I had come up with all sorts of things, from white gloves and foreign menus to wine lists and stuffy guests. If I was honest, it had made me feel pretty nervous. No way was I an _haute cuisine_ expert. I was a burger and curly-fries kind of girl, someone who enjoyed a jukebox in the background and a whisky on the rocks or two. If there were more than three courses, I was instantly done for and the same went for laying out more than two forks.

To my relief however, when we arrived at the venue, it looked like – well – a _normal_ restaurant. Which, as it turned out, was exactly what it was.

 _Thank god for that._

It was already looking up.

Our table was located up a little wooden staircase and by a window with a clear view of the neighbouring park. We were a stones throw away from the bustle of the city but we could have been anywhere and I liked that. The food looked good too and although it was foreign, it was Italian which I could certainly bare.

 _Mmm, cheese and pasta_ – _oooh_ _and doughballs_.

Yeah, I was going to be just fine.

As I glanced around and drank in the décor – a combination of watercolour vineyards and headshots of Sinatra – I noticed Hunter watching me closely and as I looked back, he offered me a grin,

"So, what do you think?"

"It's nice," I nodded, "Kind of _homey_."

"This place is mine and Steph's favourite Italian. We come whenever the show hits town."

For a second I wasn't sure what to think about that one, caught between being pleased that he'd taken me somewhere special and slightly creeped out that it was his special date spot – his special date spot with his _super_ crazy wife. What if Stephanie found out I had sullied her eatery? Would she blacklist it or blacklist _me_? I had little doubt that it would probably be the latter and so as the waiter put down a plate of warm breadsticks, I dived for them eagerly and tried to keep talk light.

 _Holy crap I was chatting with my father_.

"So – um – how long have the two of you been together?"

"Coming up to fourteen years now."

I blinked,

"Oh, I didn't realise it was – that's a long time. Did you meet at work?"

"I _guess_ you could say that," Hunter offered slowly, before seeing my confusion and hurrying to clear things up, "It started out as a business arrangement. Just something to try and upset her father – you've heard of Vince McMahon right? He owns the company. Anyway, he and I were not the best of friends back then and well – basically – I was a punk. Fortunately we get on a lot better now."

Before that point it hadn't occurred to me that I might end up meeting Stephanie's family. She had always made them seem off limits. But now that I was Hunter's daughter we were all just ingredients in a weird familial _soup_ and so technically they were also _my_ relatives.

In a really, really weird sort of a way.

"Uh _so_ , when did the two of you become something more?"

Hunter blinked,

"I'm not even sure. But that's the thing about Stephanie McMahon, she just kinda gets in under your skin. I mean – what I said to you before – about her being kind? I meant it. Once she trusts you, she'll protect you to the end. No one gets in her way, I mean _no one_. I like to think that when we've got our heads around this, the two of you will be good friends."

I bit back a snort and tried to look sincere,

"I hope so too."

But I wasn't about to hold my breath. I got why Stephanie couldn't and wouldn't like me but I still wasn't convinced she liked anyone at all. I thought about Dean and his _Wicked Witch_ comparisons and coughed, trying to hide the snigger in my drink,

"So," Hunter offered, drawing a breath in and thankfully not noticing, "Is there anything you want to ask? I guess you've probably got some questions. I know I've certainly got some for you – ,"

"Really?" I looked up, intrigued, "Like what?"

He paused,

"Your mother. _Pamela_. Can I – can I ask how?"

I swallowed heavily, pushing the lump down and praying to my body to leave the waterworks turned off. It was literally our first real _family_ encounter and I didn't want to blindside him by bawling into the garlic bread. The poor guy probably would have run a mile and I wouldn't have blamed him.

"Brain tumour."

"Oh man," Hunter looked a little like he'd been punched, "Lauren, I'm sorry. That's – that's terrible. Do you mind me asking how long she had it before – ?"

He tailed off, not willing to finish the question and I shrugged and tried my best to sound nonchalant in the hopes that it would shore up my emotions,

"A year, give or take a couple of months. At first they thought they could maybe remove it, but the growth was kind of _wrapped around_ and in the end no one could decide if the benefits would even outweigh the risks of it all. At that point she decided enough was enough. She didn't want to spend her last months in the hospital so she discharged herself and let nature take its course."

Hunter was eyeing me steadily across the table and I picked at my bread and tried to avoid the look. When he spoke, he sounded so understanding that it managed to actually make things _worse_ , especially because he sounded parental but wasn't the parent I needed the most.

 _Go away tears._

"That must have been pretty tough on you?"

I nodded,

"It was, but you know what? In spite of all the bad stuff, we ended up having the most incredible year. We camped, we went to shows, we took poetry classes. We just took the time to do all these _things_. I mean, don't get me wrong, the last few months were without a doubt the most horrible of my life, but they were probably also the best we had together and I'll cherish them forever. I know it doesn't make sense – ,"

"No, it does," he nodded quickly, "Especially knowing what Pamela was like. She just had this real sense of _life_ about her. I'd never met anyone like her – I still haven't. Not that I'm being disloyal to Stephanie but your mom? Well, she was one of a kind."

"Do you still love her?"

He looked at me suddenly and I sucked a hurried breath in, worried I'd asked a question too much. I wanted to know but I didn't want to offend him and so I was glad when he paused and gave it some thought,

"Yes, in a way I do. Your mom was my first love. I think I'll always feel deeply about her. But hey – ," he offered, suddenly smiling, "Don't tell Steph though."

"I honestly don't think I would ever have the courage. Plus – you know – I value my life."

He lifted his brow at me in amusement,

"Don't believe that she's a nice person, huh?"

"Um – ,"

"That's okay," he smiled, pragmatically "We've got all the time in the world to change your mind."

It was nice to hear him talk about the future in terms that implied me being involved. It was also nice to hear about his childhood, which we branched off into a few minutes after that. His early years – as it turned out – were perfectly normal and I loved hearing stories about his mom and dad. It was weird to think he was talking about my _grandparents_. They were simply something I'd never had before. Both of my mom's parents died had when I was little and my recollections of them were sketchy at best, so the chance to have a meaningful relationship with Hunter's was tantalizing to say the very least.

Not that they were the only family members Hunter talked about, although somewhere in the list of names I got lost. How was it _possible_ to have so many second cousins? Were they people or a colony of mice? Luckily however, he paused and looked sheepish and asked if it would be alright to wait – to hold off on introducing the Helmsley kinfolk until our relationship was stronger and we had some common ground.

I swear I could have cried with relief.

The words _common ground_ on the other hand were more troubling and the fact that we might have nothing to talk about had been my fear the night before, when I had been rocking backwards and forwards on the comforter and freaking out over the phone to Dean.

" _What if there are awkward silences? What if I can't think of anything to say?"_

" _Lauren, you've got over twenty years to catch up on. I'm pretty sure the conversation won't dry up."_

He was right – as ever – but what both of us had forgotten was the one piece of common ground we already had. Her name was Pamela and she was my mother as well as being Hunter's long lost love. As we continued to talk about her, the stories just poured out of me and it was cathartic to share them – as well as relive them – with someone who had known her and knew how that loss felt.

I told him about the time that she had stopped all the traffic to guide a family of ducks across the street, I told him about when she had started a protest to save a local tree and the Mayor had backed down. I told him everything and anything I could think of and he laughed and smiled and did everything right. By the time I had finished, he knew all about my childhood and the lump in my throat had shrunk and then gone. I didn't even realise we'd been talking so steadily until our waiter put the dessert menu down. That was a good sign right? That time was going quickly? It would have been so much worse if it had dragged.

"Tell me," Hunter offered as two plates of cheesecake were set down in front of us, _oozing_ calories, "How are you finding the business so far?"

"Well – I mean – it's certainly different."

"Is everyone behaving themselves?"

I blinked for a second and then tried not to show it as my brain scanned through the encounters gone wrong – Fandango, Bray Wyatt, I could even add Stephanie. In the end however I simply smiled falsely and stuffed in a hefty forkful of cake,

"People have been very _friendly_."

"What about the Shieldboys? They treating you okay?"

Hunter's expression seemed to have darkened and I remembered that The Shield being my shadows was Stephanie's grand _evil genius_ idea. Now that I was definitely his daughter, I got the impression Hunter wanted them to stop and since I in _no way_ wanted to travel without them, I nodded quickly,

"No, no, they've been great. Really. No complaints. I mean, don't tell Stephanie but once you get to know them, they're actually a pretty sweet bunch of guys."

Hunter raised a brow,

"Is that right?"

"Uh," I blinked, back-tracking heavily, "For a bunch of sweaty wrestlers that is."

Yeah, probably best _not_ to reveal that I was crushing like a teenage girl on Dean Ambrose. I got the impression that would not have been good.

"Well, I guess you'll have to get used to that side of things. That is, if you plan on sticking around?"

 _Um, what?_

My stomach flipped over. This seemed big. Was he surreptitiously asking me to stay?

"Do you _want_ me to stick around?" I asked back and for a moment neither one of us seemed sure of what to say. It was like being in some strange sort of time-warp where everything around us was moving at normal speed while we were stuck in excruciating slow-motion.

 _Come on, come on_.

Finally he smiled,

"I do. I want us to get to know each other better. I mean, not that it's all about what _I_ want here. For all I know you might have a job and boyfriend waiting for you back home – ,"

"Um, actually no. To both. I mean I did have a job, but I kind of quit it to take the chance and come out here and – well – I _did_ have a boyfriend, but, not anymore."

He raised an unimpressed brow in my direction and set his jaw,

"Do I even want to know?"

"Probably not," I smiled back weakly, "But what I guess I'm trying to say, is that if it's okay with you, then I would really like to stay."

"Of course it's okay Lauren, it's _more_ than okay."

His gaze was intense and I blushed a little and looked down while absently stabbing at my cake. Suddenly things seemed a little bit weightier and – as usual – my need to chatter came back,

"I enjoyed working backstage the other night. It was good to see how everything works and how many people it takes to make a show. I felt like I was actually being useful and I think I did okay as well,"

"I'm sure you did," Hunter nodded, his eyes still on me, "I've had no complaints."

"Well, that's a relief."

"So you're happy to keep doing that – working backstage?"

I nodded and stabbed at another bite of cheesecake, chasing a few errant crumbs across the plate.

"As long as you need me to."

"You don't – I don't know – _aspire_ to something else?"

His gaze was curious and I blinked up at him, tilting my head to one side like a dog.

"Such as?"

"I don't know, maybe some _on_ camera work?"

I choked on my cake-base,

"What? You mean _wrestling_?"

"No, no, don't worry. I wouldn't let you do that. What I meant was _playing_ somebody. A character for example. Do you have any acting experience from back home?"

"Well," I blinked, "Not exactly, no. A little community theatre when I was a teenager, but I'm not sure I was particularly good. Why? Will I – will I _have_ to be on camera?"

A sudden bolt of dread launched clean through me and I blinked at him in horror.

 _Oh god, oh god._

Luckily Hunter quickly put his hands up and chuckled a little to play my panic off.

"Not if you don't want to, no. Although at some point – way, _way_ off in the future – it might not be such a bad idea to introduce you to the universe on camera. That way we can control the flow of information and stop the gossip magazines from getting there first."

The breath began to heave from my chest and I fought back a mounting panic attack.

"Introduce me?" I squeaked, "Like a public announcement?"

Would I have a microphone? Be in the ring? Would he want me to _say_ something? I couldn't cope with that. Abruptly I wasn't sure that I could really cope with _any_ of it, although fortunately, Hunter seemed to see that too,

"Hey, Lauren, look, I'm not trying to scare you here alright? You don't have to do anything you don't want to, I promise and when the time comes to reveal this thing, then we'll do it in a way that makes you feel comfortable. We'll totally go at your speed, alight?"

"Uh huh."

"Good," he breathed, rubbing a hand across his forehead, "So for now it's just going to be kept in the family and if you don't want to do the House Shows or anything – ,"

I sat up suddenly,

"No, I'd like to do those. I've heard they're fun. More time, more humour. I'd like to see that."

 _I'd like to see Dean._

Hunter nodded and smiled a little, as if he appreciated my passionate resolve. He probably assumed that I was learning to love the business instead of crushing on his paid attack dog.

"That's your call kiddo. But it's fine by me. Stephanie will let The Shield guys know you're coming – it looks like they're your official drivers now."

"I've always wanted one of those," I chuckled and as I fought down the blush that was threatening to envelop me, I almost missed the frown of Hunter's sudden look,

"You're _sure_ you're okay riding with the three of them?"

"Oh yeah," I nodded, "I'll be fine."

With our last course eaten and the meal slowly finishing, Hunter smoothly signalled to the waiter and as he did he pulled out a _Centurion Card_. A black card? What kind of family was I trying to fit into? I wondered how my poor over-drawn bank card would have coped and decided the answer was essentially, _not well._ As I silently debated our financial states however, a hand moved over the top of mine and I started slightly and looked up at Hunter, who was once again holding me in a pretty intense gaze.

"I'm glad you came out here to find me Lauren."

His palm felt warm and fatherly and I liked that.

"So am I," I smiled back, "So am I."

* * *

 **One thing I want to say in case anyone is wondering, is that Steph and Hunter's kids don't get a mention in this story. Purely because they're not on TV and since this is based around the characters and not the people (i.e. the Helmsleys and not the Levesques) I feel kind of** _ **icky**_ **involving people's real life children. So yeah, no kids. Hope that makes sense and doesn't detract from anything.**

 **See you next time.**


	16. The Booby Prize

**So here we go, back the to the main man again. I really like this chapter, there's** _ **all sorts**_ **going on.**

 **AngelsDestiny22, glad that you're enjoying it and liking the Hunter stuff. I'm trying not to let him get lost in the mix!**

 **Psion53, yep, Hunter and Lauren have kind of got their groove now. Next will be Stephanie...who's not quite so cute! But that's a couple of chapters away, so I don't want to spoil things (re-zips lips).**

 **MizHyde, your wish is my command...Lauren and Dean back together in this one and the plot thickens. How? You'll have to read it and find out! (Evil laugh that turns into a cough and then tails off pathetically…)**

 **ThatGirl54, aww thanks, I was worried that people would get kind of bored with all the Hunter stuff. Although I don't think we can really blame him for being cautious. I don't think any father would like their daughter on her own with those handsome boys from The Shield!**

 **Skovko, thanks, I'm glad you agree!**

 **Guest, aww, I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

* * *

 **The Booby Prize**

After our lunch date, Hunter had left town and flown straight back to Connecticut on what I assumed were his wife's orders. It was kind of surreal being left alone after such a monumental event but fortunately I had my trusty phone with me and two people in particular I had to share the details with. As it turned out, their respective lines of questioning could _not_ have been more different.

" _Where did you go? What car did he drive? Did he mention your mom at all?"_

Those had been from Kelly.

" _Are you alright? How was it? Did he upset you?"_

Those concerns had been all Dean's and the fact that he was worried about how I was had made me tingle right down into my toes. How was it possible that I had gone from no men in my life to suddenly having two that wanted to look out for me? I wondered if my mom could see. She would have liked that I was so well protected.

Most of all, she would have liked Dean.

For the rest of the day I was on a natural high and thanks to a frankly _excellent_ night's sleep, that chirpiness carried through right into the morning, buoyed by one very salient fact. That evening was the first of the weekend's House Shows and so Dean would be arriving sometime that afternoon. My heart essentially sang with the knowledge and I bit down a giggle, grabbed my book and headed poolside. I honestly couldn't wait to see him again. Did he feel the same? Was he this excited? Probably not. After all, he was a man. My phone pinged briskly and I checked it,

 _We're an hour away._

I positively squeaked as the elevator hit the lobby and the businessman I had been travelling with looked at me and heaved a sigh. I was really going to have to stop acting like a teenager. Clearly it was _not_ a very good look.

The pool was a glittering kidney-shaped offering, sitting in the open-aired middle of the complex and half-shaded by the height of the building itself. As a native Wisconsinite – and therefore being a vampire – the lounger I chose had a mixture of both, with just enough glare to require my sunglasses but not enough to need gallons of lotion rubbed on. Sitting back with a sigh, I opened my book up and tried to immerse myself in the words. It was something I had read about a million times before and I had brought it along because it usually kept me calm, but suddenly, not even literature was working and so I gave up having read the same paragraph several times. Was it Dean or Hunter who had thrown me so completely? Probably my father but I couldn't rule out Dean.

Instead I sighed and picked my phone up,

 _How are you feeling? Have you got Brent to cave?_

Kelly text back in less than a minute,

 _No but I'm pulling out all the stops tonight. I've just bought some sexy pregnancy lingerie._

 _Is that really a thing?_

The picture she sent me told that it was indeed and I grinned.

 _Well, if that doesn't do the trick…_

 _If it doesn't I'm going to have an affair. Might fly out to see you…I mean Dean._

My mind briefly drifted back to the picture and his stomach and his hip bones and his abs.

 _Hands off, he's mine._

Kelly's response came back fast and furious and chatting with her helped to eat up the time. Around me, the mood was contented and lazy and I relaxed as the sun drifted round in the sky. It was crazy to think that just a week earlier I had been working my very last shift in the restaurant – hanging my apron up on its peg and wondering what the hell I was letting myself in for. My workmates thought I had lost my mind too, but they had still been supportive and gotten teary and hugged me. They had even made me a goodbye cake, which – now I thought about it – was still in the refrigerator. I would have to get Kelly to go round and throw it out, otherwise I'd end up with a cockroach infestation. In fact I was _so_ absorbed with my thoughts – a jumble of wrestlers and mouldy cake slices – that I essentially lost all track of the time and was only brought out of my strange waking daydream as a shadow stepped in closer and blocked out the sun.

"Did you even fuckin' _get_ my message? I said an hour and you're out here lyin' around."

My head snapped up towards him,

"Dean?"

"Afternoon Princess," he offered back sarcastically, crossing his big broad arms across his chest, "Havin' a good time on the company dollar?"

There was a sparkle in his eyes and I matched it,

"Actually yes."

"Yeah well vacation's over, _some_ of us have got work to do,"

Reaching over he snagged my wrist up and pulled me into a reluctant half-sit. As he did the book slid off my lounger and clattered to the floor.

"Thanks a lot, you've lost my place."

He stooped to the ground to pick it up and then raised an eyebrow when he saw the title,

"The Maltese Falcon?"

"What? I'll have you know it's an American classic _and_ it's my favourite. Why? What did you think I would read?"

He didn't even hesitate,

"Fifty Shades of Grey."

" _What_?"

My outrage was only eclipsed by my blush and he hauled me onto my feet, still laughing,

"Come on, the guys are at the front desk, they're checkin' you out of the room."

"Forcibly?" I blinked, as we threaded along the poolside, "Can they even do that? You know, this _kind of_ feels like a kidnapping here."

He turned back to look at me with a glint in his eyes and I stopped dead, suddenly not sure what he was thinking.

"I can make it look like that if you want?"

"Huh?"

He moved before I'd even finished asking, sweeping me up clean off my feet and throwing me like Tarzan over his shoulder. The world turned upside down and his hand came round my thighs, pinning me against him before gravity could grab me. Not that it stopped me from screaming loudly,

"Dean – what are you – put me down! _People are looking_."

"So? Let them look. Anyway, I thought I told you this might happen now that you're related to the big boss. Think of this as kidnap trainin'."

I could hear him laughing even upside down and I punched him – to no effect – in the back,

"You're _insane_ , you know that?"

"It's been mentioned,"

I giggled in spite of myself,

"Great, I feel dizzy now."

He spun me around and I shrieked out even louder,

"What?" he replied, "I can't hear you back there. Was that you sayin' you wanted to go _faster_?"

"No – _Dean_ ,"

"Or maybe you want to go in the pool?"

With a sudden bolt of terror my heart beat faster and my amusement instantly died clean away.

 _No, not the pool, anything but the pool._

In a daze I registered Dean stoop a little and then suddenly I was standing and he was looming large in front. His hand was still clenched around my wrist tightly and he was grinning, enjoying this flirtatious little game. I opened my mouth to say something – say _anything_ – but then suddenly his hands were under my legs and he was holding me close to him _romantic movie_ style. At the same time he was stepping in closer to the water and my body stiffened as real fear took hold. I knew that Dean would never mean to hurt me but he was unknowingly feeding into my very worst fear,

"Wanna go for a swim Princess?"

I shook my head,

" _N-no_ , _p-please don't_ – ,"

At the sound of my essentially _choked_ sounding pleading, Dean glanced down and looked at me properly, taking in the gathering tears and my arms which were wound around his neck super tight.

"Shit," instantly he spun us from poolside, taking me across to a lounger in the sun. He lowered me onto it and I let him do it limply, trembling even as he rubbed at my arms, "Lauren? Hey, what's goin' on? You okay?"

I nodded unconvincingly,

"Mmhmm, I-I'm sorry,"

"Sorry for what? What was that back there?"

"I-I c-can't swim."

He blinked at me and I was relieved to see a look of understanding and not ridicule flash across his face. Then again, it was also mixed with confusion that wasn't entirely out of place. He was probably wondering why my reaction was so dramatic and although – in my mind – I had a good reason, I didn't really want to get into it there. Luckily it seemed that he didn't either and he dropped down in front of me and bit his bottom lip,

"Fuck, I didn't know,"

"I know, it's not your fault Dean."

"That's _exactly_ what it fuckin' is. But you do know I wasn't goin' to do it – you know that, right?"

I nodded,

"Uh huh. I just – I just can't help it. I'm terrified of the water and I know it's pathetic but – ,"

"Hey," Dean reached up to softly brush my hair back and those good old fireworks replaced the anxious knots, "It's not pathetic, not at all. Look, can we just agree that _I'm_ the asshole here?"

"Actually I've thought you were the asshole all along,"

My teasing assessment did the trick nicely and suddenly he was all smiles again, snorting softly and shaking his head before turning and suddenly locking eyes with me. My heart flipped over. My _god_ I loved him. Wait, what? _Love_? What the hell was wrong with me? I hardly knew him, or at least not properly. I was in way over my head with this.

 _Lauren, get a grip._

"Come on," he murmured, holding his hand out and pulling me up with him as he stood, "Let's go get your stuff. Otherwise Seth and Roman might start packin' up for you and I don't think either _one_ of us wants them in your underwear drawer."

"No," I smiled, "Probably not."

As it turned out, Seth and Roman weren't up there and so I was able to quickly pack things up myself. Dean stood in the doorway and watched me, leaning his long frame casually against the wall and listening as I gave him yet _another_ break-down of how my meal with Hunter had gone.

"Did I tell you that he thinks me and Stephanie could be friends?"

Dean snorted,

"I never had him down as the delusional type."

"Oh and he asked me if I wanted to be on camera – after I've only been there _one_ day."

I could hardly miss the way Dean's body stiffened and he licked his lips nervously,

"What did you say?"

"I said I didn't want to."

His shoulders dropped and then drooped in relief, seeming like a weight had been lifted clean off.

"Thank fuck for that. You made the right call."

"Why do you say that? Don't you think I could do it?"

"It's not about whether you can or you can't, it's that you _shouldn't_ do it. Trust me, okay? You don't need that fuckin' media circus. You're too good for the shit that goes on in that ring."

"Um, thank you?"

I decided it was best to take it as a compliment and continued to quietly pack my stuff. My conversation with Kelly was ringing in my ears loudly and I found myself trying to assess how and why he cared. Was he just protective of me because I was hopeless, or was it actually – _possibly_ – something more? For a second I even forgot he was standing there and so when he suddenly spoke again I almost jumped in the air,

"So why is it you're scared of the water? Somethin' happen?"

 _You could say that._

"I – um – I almost drowned when I was eleven."

He blinked in surprise at me,

"Seriously? How?"

"I was on holiday with Kelly's family – they used to have this little cabin by the lake? There was a group of boys a little older than us and Kelly wanted to kind of wanted to hang out with them – ,"

"When you were eleven, huh? Classy."

I waved an airy hand,

"Yeah, well she's always been like that. Anyway, the boys started telling us some story they'd heard about how this crocodile got released into a local lake and got bigger and bigger and then started eating people – ,"

Dean snorted wryly,

"Yeah, they sound like boys."

"Speaking from experience?"

"Well maybe not the crocodile line, but I _totally_ remember tryin' to scare girls."

I rolled my eyes,

"Well _anyway_ , poor little me believed every word of it and I just straight up wanted to go home. But Kelly wanted to hang out longer, so we all kind of started playing this game. Someone would drop something into the water and someone else had to get it before it touched the bottom. It wasn't dangerous or anything either, just kid's stuff really. Only on my turn when I was diving down, something kind of _brushed past_ me and I guess I thought it was the crocodile or whatever and I pretty much just _panicked_ and – ,"

I shrugged and took a breath in an attempt to look nonchalant although in reality I was anything but,

"Someone jump in and rescue you?"

"Uh huh," I nodded, "Yeah, Kelly's dad. I mean, not that I really remember that part of it. I guess I must have sort of blacked out."

"Blacked out?" Dean echoed, sounding incredulous, "Lauren, are you sayin' you _actually drowned_?"

"Um, kind of, _briefly_."

"Jesus," he breathed out, looking horrified, "No wonder you freaked the fuck out just now."

As I zipped up my suitcase he crossed the room towards me and lifted it up like it weighed nothing at all. I smiled my thanks but before I could say it, he leaned in and pressed a little kiss to my head. One hand lingered briefly on my elbow, pulling me closer, then he stepped back.

"Ready to go?"

I nodded mutely at him and he turned and led the way from the room. He was effortlessly casual, as if nothing had happened – but it had – he'd pecked a loving kiss on my brow. My heart was pumping like a double-speed metronome and I wanted to squeal and jump up and down. Fortunately however, I managed to do neither and arrived in the lobby looking relatively calm. Seth and Roman were waiting by the entrance and on seeing them standing there I couldn't help but grin,

"Hi guys,"

"Hey Lauren,"

"How's it going baby girl?"

Dean swung my case up over his shoulder and jerked a thumb in the direction of the desk,

"She all checked out?"

Seth nodded,

"Good to go, man. Hunter took care of the bill last night."

"He did?" I blinked at them, "Wow."

Roman smiled,

"Bet you're regretting not getting more from the mini bar."

"Actually I'm regretting not going wild and trashing my room like a proper rock and roll wild child."

Dean snorted back at me,

"Yeah, _that_ sounds like you."

Together the four of us turned towards the entrance and waited a beat for the automatic doors. Briefly, I turned and glanced back into the lobby, wanting to remember every second of my stay. Never in my life had I been anywhere so fancy and I was eager to paint a little picture in my head. My eyes scanned every last detail of the area, from the neatly potted fern plants, to the crisp white tiles, up across the sleek black reception desk and then over to Bray Wyatt who was lingering in the corner –

 _Wait, what?_

My eyes snapped back again and – sure enough – there he was, with that strange little hat and a bright orange shirt. He was staring straight at me and kind of half-smiling and my stomach rolled over like hamster in a ball.

"Dean – ," I gasped and in reaching to grab hold of him, I succeeded in grasping a handful of air. His long stride had carried him paces ahead of me and I had to turn to catch hold of his shirt, " _Dean_."

"What?"

"It's Bray, he's over there."

Dean spun on his heel in an instant and so sharply that I almost crashed right into his chest. His eyes were narrowed and had darkened like storm clouds. Just like that he was in defensive mode,

"Where?"

I turned back,

"What do you mean _where_? He's right over – ,"

Only as I moved to point him out better, he suddenly seemed to have vanished into thin air and I tailed off suddenly, feeling uncertain and wondering where in the hell he had gone. Surely he wasn't _that_ hard to notice. The guy was wearing an _orange shirt_.

"Lauren," Dean offered back at me flatly, "I don't see anything."

"But he really _was_ there. I mean – ," I blinked, "At least I _thought_ he was. Maybe I was wrong. But I was _so_ sure it was him. It literally _had_ to be. I wouldn't mistake someone like Bray Wyatt, right? Unless – that is – unless I sort of _did_."

Letting out a weary-sounding sigh, Dean used a hand to push me out ahead of him and we set off across the parking lot in silence towards their car. Halfway there, Roman turned around towards me and handed me a tiny little package across,

"Oh, I almost forgot – here."

"What's this? A present?"

"Maybe, but if it is then it isn't from me. Someone left it for you earlier at reception. Expecting something?"

"I don't think so."

The box was probably the size of a jewellery case and tied with a carefully positioned pink bow. Tucked beneath the ribbon was a tiny little greetings card and sure enough my name and hotel room were written down. I rattled it gently and something hit the box sides and made me frown. What _was_ this thing? Who would have left me a gift in the lobby and why would they not have said who it was from? Letting out a sigh of confused frustration, I prized the lid off.

Something _crawled_ out, followed by another one and another one and _another_ one and I screamed as tiny feet skittered across my hand. The box, the ribbon and the eight or nine cockroaches tumbled to the floor and I covered my mouth in shock.

"Lauren?"

In an instant the guys were grouped in close around me and Dean placed his hands on my arms to calm me down. Clearly none of them were sure what was happening and so I shakily pointed to the mess on the ground. Dean looked down at it and then slowly back at me, his expression growing hard,

"That was what was in the box?"

I nodded, still trembling and totally bewildered, my voice sounding small and uncertain,

"Ye-ah."

"Jesus," Seth breathed out, skipping a step sideways as a cockroach tried to mount his heel, "Who the fuck does something like that?"

Dean's response was eye-wateringly feral,

"Bray god damn Wyatt, that's fuckin' who."

On the plus side though, clearly _now_ he believed me. Although Seth in particular wasn't so sure.

"What? Why? I mean why would he do that?"

"Why does he do any _fuckin'_ thing Seth? Because he likes to mess with people and we already know he's got some weird thing for her. This is just the next sick step up. Besides, she literally _just_ fuckin' saw him – ,"

Roman's eyes narrowed,

"You saw him? Where?"

I blushed a little, suddenly feeling stupid,

"Um, I mean – I _thought_ I saw him back there. He was just sort of standing watching me in the lobby, only when I turned back he – he wasn't there,"

"You think you might have imagined it?"

"I mean, I guess I _could_ have,"

"Which just leaves us with one fuckin' problem Columbo," Dean glared back at his brother-in-arms, "Somebody sent her a box of _cockroaches_ and if it wasn't the Wyatts then who do you think it was?"

Seth shrugged,

"Some warped initiation prank gone wrong? You know what the locker room is like with the hazing."

"Only Lauren's not a wrestler," Dean fired back, "Plus nobody fuckin' knows she's here."

Roman looked across at me,

"You tell anybody where you were staying?"

"No," I shook my head emphatically, "The only ones that know are you guys and Kelly – well, and obviously Stephanie and Hunter because he came to see me and she booked the room."

Dean let out a breath and shook his head briefly, like a dog trying to shake the water from its ears. It was clearly a nervous, aggression-releasing gesture and he accompanied it by rocking his shoulders side to side. It looked a bit like he was preparing for battle, but the problem was he didn't know who he was fighting _with_. Beside him, Seth let out a long sigh of weariness,

"We'll have to tell Hunter. You realize that right?"

The bottom dropped out of my stomach,

"What? Why?"

"Because, some jackass is trying to frighten you Lauren and he needs to know about it – as your boss _and_ your old man."

"But if you tell him then he's just going to stop me from doing this and that's not what I want. Besides, like you said, it will just be some prank. Someone will have pinned up the wrong piece of paperwork and it will have told the whole place where I was. It's not like it was poison gas either, just something to scare me. Please Seth, I'm fine. This job is literally all I have. I _really_ need this."

He blinked at me, then dropped his shoulders with a growl,

" _Argh_ , okay, fine. Now will you please get in the car before anything else happens? You know, I'm starting to get what Dean meant when he said you found trouble at the drop of a hat."

He flung the door open – still grousing at me bitterly – but as I went to clamber after him, Dean reached out and grabbed my hand,

"Hey, you okay?"

I nodded,

"I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me Lauren, I know you better than they do. I can tell when you're freakin' out."

I bit my bottom lip and tried not to look at him, knowing that the big blue eyes would find me out. The truth was that I was anything _but_ fine with the scenario. Someone had sent me a box of cockroaches. Who would have done it? The Wyatts? Why? Dropping his hand from my wrist to my fingers, Dean squeezed them briefly and gave them a little shake. When I looked up, he had ducked to my level and as I swallowed in surprise – he really was gorgeous – he offered me up a firm but resolute smile,

"I'm gonna find out who did this, okay? Then I'm gonna put them in a hole in the ground for even _thinkin'_ that scarin' you was a smart idea. Trust me. I'm not going to let anythin' happen to you."

Instinctively I tightened my fingers around his and despite everything that had happened, my heart nearly burst. There was that question solved on the plus side. He cared about me – actually _cared_. Maybe being covered in cockroaches had been worth it.

What was I saying? It totally was _not_.

"Uh huh," I nodded back, smiling up weakly, "I know you won't, I'm going to be fine."

He snorted and wound an arm around my shoulders, steering me protectively towards their rental car. All I had to do was stay glued to his side and I would be safe.

I could certainly do that.

* * *

 **Oooh, so who's targeting our girl? Next chapter btw, is one of my favourites. Just to keep that suspense running high!**


	17. Putting On The Moves

**So this is one of my personal favourite chapters but you may want to reserve your judgement until the end!**

 **Psion53, Flirty protective Dean is my favourite too, so expect a lot more of it (a** _ **whole**_ **lot more). I'm so glad you're still enjoying it, there's plenty to come!**

 **Skovko, I like to keep you on your toes! What's a good love story without a mystery anyhow?!**

 **ThatGirl54, Agreed, I LOVE the creepiness of the Wyatts! Not that I'm saying that it is them or it isn't...you'll just have to keep on reading to (eventually) find out.**

 **MizHyde, I know you want something to happen between them, so the title of this chapter might give you some hope (I say** _ **some**_ **because...well, you'll see...just read it! But promise not to bite my head off at the end!)**

 **Let's get going guys!**

* * *

 **Putting On The Moves**

As promised, the House Shows were better than awesome. They were low-key, intimate, enjoyable affairs and without the cameras, the timings and _management_ , I really began to get into my stride.

Not only was I learning names – and retaining them – but I was also learning how to find my way around and by the third day I felt like I actually belonged there. I felt like I was part of the team. It also helped that I barely saw the Wyatts, other than the odd wisp of wild facial hair. Dean had been adamant about me staying away from them and given that they were still our roach suspects, I was more than happy to keep to my word. It didn't exactly stop Bray from staring but I could cope with him as long as that was all it was.

Another added bonus was getting to know Matt and we quickly managed to become good friends. The truth was I had always wanted a camp gay friend and he had clearly been missing a quirky brunette sidekick. Our friendship was simply meant to be and so as the show wrapped up on the Sunday evening – and people started to thread back to their rooms – I merrily said yes when he invited me out clubbing and skipped off back to the hotel with The Shield.

It was at that point however that my plans unraveled as I excitedly shared my invite with the guys,

"No way," Dean answered, arms folded bluntly, "No way in hell are you goin' out tonight."

"But – I already said I would."

"Then tell him you can't."

I blinked,

"What? Why?"

Roman and Seth were moving about awkwardly, carrying luggage from room to room and occasionally giving me a friendly look of warning that I interpreted as _careful, don't push him too far_.

"Because our job is to keep a fuckin' eye on you Lauren, so if you go, one of us has to go too and we've just spent the last few days getting pounded, so the answer's _no_. It's not happenin', alright?"

I frowned,

"I'm not asking you for permission Dean, I'm letting you know that _I'm_ going out. I appreciate that you want to look out for me and everything, but I don't need a babysitter. You guys can stay here."

Dean dropped his arms to his sides in frustration and muttered a string of cuss words into the air,

"Lauren, there's no way in hell I'm lettin' you go out, not on your own."

"But I'm going with Matt."

He blinked at me for almost five seconds then frowned in confusion,

"Matt the runner? Built like a stick? Camper than Nathan fuckin' Lane in _The Birdcage_?"

"Um, yep, that's the one."

"What the fuck, Lauren?" he barked in astonishment, "You'd probably be better off on your own. How the hell is he supposed to protect you?"

"I don't – _ugh_ – protect me from what?"

Behind us Seth crossed over to the minibar and took out a beer before sitting back on the couch. Clearly our argument was primetime viewing and that was further confirmed when Roman took a seat. Great, we had ourselves an audience. Dean however didn't seem to care.

"Have you forgotten that two fuckin' days ago, someone sent you a gift-wrapped box of bugs?"

I blushed and sullenly shook my head,

"No."

"Or maybe you've forgotten the way Wyatt keeps watchin' you or the way he likes to try and get you on your own."

"I haven't forgotten Dean,"

"Really? Well maybe you've forgotten that less than a fuckin' week ago, you went out drinkin' and came back so drunk that some guy – ,"

Roman cleared his throat hastily and coughed a warning word out,

"Dean."

Turning round to look at him briefly quelled the anger and Dean stepped back and ran his fingers through his hair. For my part, I was staring down at my shoes mostly, not sure that I was even able to look up. I hated that he'd dredged up that creepy night with Jeff again, although in general, he made a pretty good point. How was I meant to get him to trust me when I had given him nothing to go on but a mess?

Suddenly his feet stepped into my vision and I looked up to find him standing super close. He was clearly still heated but at least he was smiling and looking a little bit softer than he had,

"Look Princess, I told you that I would take care of you, but I'm sorry, I don't have it in me tonight. No way can this body go out right now – not after two nights of steel chairs to the back. But I promise you we'll go out next time, alright? We got ourselves a deal here or what?"

I opened my mouth to grudgingly accept him – or possibly put up one last fight – when suddenly Seth's voice cut in across the room at us and startled us both,

"For Christ's sake Dean, just let her go out. She's not an idiot and she's not a fucking child, she's not even going to be on her own. Just because _we_ don't have any friends in the business, it doesn't mean that Lauren can't. Stop being so god damn overprotective, she's got a father to do that shit."

For a second we all simply blinked at him in astonishment, although before Dean could fire back, Roman chimed in too.

"Look man, I'm with Seth on this one – I mean, it's one thing to want to look out for her but the answer is not to put her on lockdown. She's Hunter's daughter, not Rapunzel. I'm pretty sure she can take of herself, at least for a couple of hours. _Relax_."

The silence between the three men was spectacular and I expected an answering eruption from Dean. But to my surprise, his shoulders merely slouched a bit and he threw his hands up,

"I mean – _fuck_ – what do I know? Go out then."

I blinked at him,

"Really?"

He was trying not to look at me,

"I fuckin' said _go then_ – you need it written down?"

Unfortunately for him however, trying not looking at me was no longer an option I was willing to take and I let out a squeak of genuine excitement and suddenly launched my arms around his neck.

"Thank you," I giggled, ruffling his hair a bit and listening to him growl as he tried to peel me off. Seth and Roman were grinning from the couch and I laughed along with them until Dean grabbed my arms, pulling them down and then moving them behind me until they were pinned up tight against my back. Abruptly I stopped smiling. _God_ we were close. Our chests were squashed right up against each other and I could practically feel his heartbeat against mine. His head was bent low, blocking the light out and his breath was minty from the perpetual piece of gum.

"If I agree to this," he whispered gruffly as my body _ached_ to reach up and kiss him on the lips, "Then I get to call the shots, alright?"

"Mmhmm."

The press of his fingers were like a furnace against my wrist bones and the warmth carried through my system like drugs. I didn't trust myself to speak words around him, so a nod and a _hum_ were all I could drum up.

"Your limit is two drinks, you hear? Mixers only. None of that poundin' the heavy shit tonight. If anyone that isn't Matt offers you a drink, the answer is _no_. If they insist, you call me. Then, when you're done, I'll come and I'll get you. Understand? If you walk back here on your own in the dark then I will personally fuckin' murder you myself."

"Geez Dean," Seth snorted wearily from behind us, reminding me that they were still both in the room, "Ease up, it's not her first night out of the convent."

"Well maybe she should pretend it is."

I heard his teammate sigh from behind him and let loose a groan,

"That's it, I give up."

Dean didn't shift his gaze from my face and I shuddered a little in expectant excitement and let my eyes shut as I breathed in his scent. My knees began trembling underneath me uncontrollably and I licked my lips. I had to get out. Otherwise I was going to do something really stupid, like kiss him or declare my undying love.

"Two drinks, mixers only, no flirting with strangers, no walking back to the hotel on my own," I nodded, trying to hide my heart flutterings and how much my voice was cracking, "Good to go."

Dean released me and I stumbled away from him feeling suddenly, achingly cold. Would it be weird to want to be pressed up against him for every last second of every last day? Yeah, that would probably, _definitely_ be weird.

No less true though.

Time to get out.

Leaving them behind me I went off to get changed, sorting through my meagerly packed suitcase to find something semi-decent to wear. When packing for a trip to meet my long-lost father, _clubbing outfits_ hadn't really come out top but I had a few dresses and a nice pair of heels and in the end I decided that one of them would have to do to. I stepped out of my room not thirty minutes later and called in on The Shield to let them know I was heading out. Dean wasn't there – he'd gone out running – but Seth and Roman both still were and said all the nice things that a woman likes to hear.

"Wow Lauren, you look great."

"The colour suits you baby girl."

I blushed and waved my hand around awkwardly, trying not to look like I was furiously blushing and only managing to make it more obvious that I was.

"It was all I had, I mean, I know it's not the _best_ look, but – ,"

Seth snorted,

"Are you kidding me? It's just as well Dean's not here."

"Huh?" I blinked, "It is? Why?"

"Because if he saw you like that, looking all pretty, no way in _hell_ would he let you go out."

Roman chuckled and nodded his agreement,

" _Oh yeah_ , which is why you should go before he gets back and has a heart attack. Hey, have fun baby girl and remember, any problems, you call us, okay? We'll be right there."

I thanked them – _ugh_ , they were too frickin' lovely – and headed down into the lobby to meet Matt. He was standing up alongside the desk front and towering over the other people there. When he looked up and saw me coming, his eyes grew wider and he flung his arms open and let out a yell,

"Oh my god, you look _amazing_ , you'll be beating them off with a stick you gorgeous bitch."

I giggled a little then remembered Dean's instructions and shook my head,

"Oh no, not tonight I won't – tonight is all about having fun with friends."

Matty squeezed me in a one-armed bear hug,

"Now I can _definitely_ drink to that."

The club was just down the road from our hotel – which was another reluctant reason that Dean had said _yes_ to me, since it was within _sprinting_ distance if anything went wrong – it was called _XY_ which I presumed sounded trendy and for a Sunday night it was pretty packed inside.

Not being the world's most experienced clubber – I was from rural Wisconsin after all – I simply followed as Matt strode ahead of me, essentially ploughing a channel to the bar. With Dean's regulations still ringing in my ears, I obliged by limiting myself to milder drinks, with Matty buying our first cocktails of the evening and then returning the favour and buying us one more.

 _See Dean? I'm doing exactly what you wanted. I hope you're happy._

I doubted he was.

While Matty guarded my drink – well, _sort of_ , he was actually chatting up a guy at the bar – I went to the bathroom to check on my make-up and then together we headed out onto the floor. The music was so loud that it shook my whole system and while the songs weren't exactly my style, I moved along as best as I could manage and tried my hardest to follow the beat. Surprisingly – for someone as _beanstalk_ like as he was – Matt had a pretty impressive set of moves and they soon bagged him an interested party who sloped over, thrusting his hips up and down. Matt winked at me,

"I think I'm in here."

"Go for it," I yelled, jerking my thumbs towards the doors, "I'm going to go outside for a bit. My head's just started spinning a little, I think I'm overheating in here."

Matt grinned,

"So am I, but for very different reasons."

I laughed and tapped his back,

"Well, go get 'em tiger."

I thought it was pretty solid advice but as it turned out it worked _too_ well, since by the time I hit the cool breeze of the doorway, the pair of them were already tasting tongues.

Outside the management had clearly affected a European terrace-type look, with a few potted plants and some artificial shrubbery boxing in a selection of seats. Making my way across to them wearily, I flopped down on the sofa and propped my feet up, letting myself slouch back against the wicker and staring at the scattering of pale stars above. My head was still spinning – and I was feeling nauseous – but I guessed that was down to recent events and the combination of storms, long-lost fathers and secret crushes that I'd had to endure. It felt like I'd left Wisconsin _years_ ago – or worse – it kind of felt like I'd never _been_ there. Which was actually pretty weird,

" _Well screw you Steve_ – ,"

From somewhere near the door there was a sudden burst of shouting as a couple got into it and the volume made me jump. Whatever they were screaming about was resolved within seconds – or at least I assumed it was since they started making out – but my startled heart continued to pound.

 _Boom boom, boom boom, boom boom._

That was weird and why on earth were my hands sweating so badly? I was roasting and yet I was sitting outside. Something wasn't right. Was I getting sick? Typical, that was the last thing I needed. Maybe it was better if I just went to bed?

Standing up to make my way back inside to Matty, I suddenly wished I hadn't even tried as my vision spotted and my ears began to whistle so loud that they blocked out the music's frantic pound. My head spun wildly and I sat down heavily.

Okay, something was _definitely_ not right.

Fortunately lying sideways on the couch helped to restore my briefly absent sight and I used it to root around for my cell phone before calling Dean with trembling hands.

God my mouth was _really_ dry.

"You ready?"

"D-dean?" I whimpered shakily,

"You okay? Lauren, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know but – but I don't like it."

"Where are you?"

"T-the club," I mumbled, "Out the back. In the bushes on the chair."

"Lauren, what the hell are you talkin' about?"

 _Uh oh_.

He sounded cross. I didn't like that.

"Don't be m-mad, I did what you said."

Why were my eyes and my hands so heavy? It was a battle just to keep them up and in the end I failed and let them flop earthwards, absently registering Dean's yelling on my phone. My heart was banging so hard and determinedly that I was worried it was going to burst clean through my chest and the image of my bloodied organ popping through my ribcage made me both snort in amusement and worriedly frown. Was that possible? Could a heart actually jump straight out of your chest? Was that what was going to happen to me? As the panic of that hit me, I tried to stand up again and – yep – the dizziness came sweeping straight back, forcing me to once again lie on the sofa and shut my eyes. I must have passed out, because when I came to there was a hand on my shoulder and a calloused set of fingers stroking my skin. As I blinked in confusion the digits slid down and stopped to brush across my upper leg. I was woozy sure, but even in spite of that, I was aware that the touch wasn't something I liked. I tried to shift and call out for assistance but another big finger pressed up against my lips,

" _Ssssh_ ,"

At the sound of it, I couldn't help but whimper quietly and that only doubled as the hand palmed my leg. What the hell was happening? Who _was_ this guy? Then suddenly I could voices in the doorway and one of them kind of – no _did_ – sound like Dean. The unwanted hand moved off me immediately and when I blinked up the space was empty again. Whoever it was had decided to scarper.

Good job.

"You let her come out here _alone_?"

"She said she needed a breath of fresh air – I don't see the problem with – ,"

Dean ignored him,

"Lauren?"

I groaned, feeling miserable,

"M' over here,"

" _Shit_ ,"

In an instant Dean's worried face was beside me as he dropped down into a wide-eyed crouch. I blinked back up at him blearily and smiled but it took too much energy to last for very long. As his blue orbs swept my face in appraisal, he lifted a hand and brushed it through my hair. I _hummed_ at him sleepily,

"Like when you do that."

"Jesus," I heard Matt reply, but not to me, "What happened to her?"

"She's fuckin' drunk," Dean shot back angrily and I frowned in offence at him,

"Huh? No m' not,"

"Lauren – ,"

" _M' not_ ," I grumbled, trying to sit up and struggling until I felt Dean's arms helping me, "I only had two – like you said – Matty, tell him."

Somewhere above me, Matt let out a sigh,

"She's right, I only saw her have two mixers – unless she's been out here drinking on the sly, which seems unlikely since there aren't any empties. She hasn't even finished her second one, look."

As Matt swiped my glass up off the table, Dean took it from him with a puzzled half-frown. Briefly he brought it up to his face and I assumed he was going to finish the rest, but then he simply sniffed it and looked up at me and I held my breath as he leant in close.

 _Not a great time for a kiss but okay_.

Instead of pressing his lips to mine however, he reached out and lifted up my eyelid instead, the dazzling blues peered in closely for a moment and then looked away with an angry sounding curse,

" _Fuck_."

"What?" Matt jumped a little, "Wh-what's wrong?"

" _What's wrong_ ," Dean snarled, "Is some asshole slipped her a roofie."

"Oh no," I blinked, "That's – that's bad."

Dean glared back at me, not appreciating the assessment and I swallowed and focused on the warmth of his hand. I could feel myself sinking like I was standing in quicksand and I could also sense an ominous black cloud. For a second it seemed like I wasn't even with them. I was watching them at the movies without surround-sound.

"You were fuckin' supposed to _watch out_ for her," Dean yelled, followed swiftly by a panicked sounding Matt,

"I _was_ – I mean, the last time I saw her she was totally fine."

"Does she look _fine_ now?"

"Well not now obviously, but – ,"

"No, she's fuckin' _not_."

As my addled body suddenly pitched forwards, I flopped somewhat heavily into Dean's arms. On the plus side the movement ended their argument and allowed me to nestle deep into his scent, but on the down side – wait – there were no downsides. Maybe being drugged up wasn't so bad? Letting out a sigh, Dean wrapped his arms around me, allowing my head to nuzzle his chest as he stood and swept my legs up from under me. It was the second time that week that he had carried me bridal style and the intimacy of it all made me suddenly want to cry.

Oh no wait, that was probably the roofie.

"Dean – ," I whimpered, my heart still pounding, "I feel weird,"

He sighed,

"You just need to sleep it off, okay? You're gonna be fine Lauren, totally fine."

I was aware of the motion as he started walking, carrying me gently back out of the club. The music became louder and then died away again and I could vaguely hear Matty still following us along,

"Do you need me to – ,"

" _No_ ," Dean snapped, "You've done enough."

His tone was furious and I briefly looked up at him, taking in the tense, hard lines of his face. Reaching up, I moved a finger and ran it sleepily across his jawline, feeling the stubble scratch lightly at my skin. He moved his head but his eyes flickered downwards and I didn't like that I couldn't read his face,

"Don't be mad and don't be mad at Matty – isn't his fault."

He grunted but said nothing and I let my head fall forwards, again bumping up against his safe and solid chest. My eyes drifted shut and I exhaled wearily.

My night out had not gone as well as I had hoped.

I woke up in an elevator, still snuggled in Dean's arms and realised we were back in the hotel again. I felt like I needed to tell Dean something but in my drugged-up state I had forgotten what that was,

"Dean?"

"Hmm?"

His response was clipped and it was obvious even _with_ drugs in my system, that I was still in the doghouse. I didn't like that. The hand that was holding my legs up against him was warm and as he shifted his fingers tickled at my skin. Suddenly, my memory kicked in again abruptly and I remembered what it was that I had wanted to say,

"He was touching me," I mumbled, frowning, "When I woke up – his hand was on my leg."

For a second Dean simply stared down at me unblinking and then his brow drew in warily,

"Who? Matt?"

I dropped my head back against his chest wearily and sighed in contentment,

"No, I dunno – jus' some guy. He was stroking me and I didn't like it but I couldn't – couldn't move to get away. He put his finger on my lips when I tried to call out. He didn't – didn't want me to speak."

My god I was tired and not really with it and that was pretty much how I sounded as well. I barely felt Dean's body stiffen underneath me until he shook me a little and bumped me up in his arms,

"Lauren – no, no, don't go to sleep – talk to me about the guy. He do anythin' else?"

" _Um_ , no."

"What about his face? Did you see who it was?"

"No but he scared me," I blinked up at him reverentially, "He went because he could hear you. You saved me again Dean, you're always saving me,"

He snorted a little as if vaguely amused by that,

"Yeah well, I guess some asshole has to."

"You know what that makes you?" I carried on blearily, unable to stop myself from just _saying_ things, "It makes you my hero. My knight in shining something – um – I've forgotten how that goes."

"Armour?" Dean offered as the doors _pinged_ open and as I nodded I rubbed my forehead up and down his shirt,

"Uh huh, that's it – see? You're _still_ saving me. From bad men and grammar and everything else."

He stepped out of the elevator still holding me close to him and although I could tell that he was still hugely angry, there was a welcome sounding softness as he murmured into my hair,

"Steady Princess, don't overinflate my ego – Seth's hasn't left much room for anyone else."

When we got to my door there was a little bit of fumbling as he tried to simultaneously brace me against him and get the key card from my bag and into the slot. How he managed it I never did find out, but the next thing I knew we were over my bed and he was lowering me gently down onto the mattress. Or – well – he _tried_ to at least, because as he bent forward I panicked at the trajectory and clung onto him tighter, not wanting to let go,

"Lauren," he soothed gruffly, "It's okay, I won't drop you. Trust me."

I did, relaxing on instinct and being rewarded as the comfy mattress rose up to meet me. It was soft and felt amazing underneath my back and I turned to curl into it, sighing to myself. Somewhere below me, Dean was taking my shoes off and the next thing I knew he had pulled the covers up. At the feeling of his hand smoothing my hair back, I looked up at him and drew a deep breath in. He was hanging right above me, leaning in closely and whichever way my dazed eyes travelled, it was Dean that they could see. I licked my lips. His aftershave smelt amazing and his eyes were so deep and focused on me –

Lifting up my finger, I again traced his jawline and this time I was pleased when he didn't pull away. My head was still spinning, but somewhere underneath it was something – a yearning – that the drugs made scream.

 _Come on Lauren, do it already._

Clearly roofies made for a horrible conscience but I was too much under their influence to say no and so as Dean leant in to press a kiss to my hairline, I took my chance and thrust my face up.

"What – ,"

I stifled his surprise by pressing my lips against his and then kissing him like I thought we were both going to die. His hands came up to my arms almost instantly and steadied me as we became physically locked, our wet lips sliding and searching one another, our hungry tongues clashing, my hands in his hair. If touching him before had been like fireworks, then actually kissing him felt like explosion. Every last part of my body was on fire and alive and singing Broadway scores. I had never felt more impetuous in my life and at the same time it felt absolutely right. It was like we were meant for each other, Dean and I and there was something else too – a spreading sensation – and it shivered its way down in between my legs. As Dean leaned in and deepened the kiss a little, I dropped a hand and gave his package a gentle squeeze.

"Lauren, fuck – ,"

That was it, the moment was over and he unravelled himself and swiftly grasped my wandering arm. I blinked at him in drug-laced confusion, feeling hurt and upset and dreamlike all at once. It was weird. I definitely did _not_ like roofies.

"Don't – don't you want me?"

"It's not – ," he groaned, " _Fuck_. Look, this is a really fuckin' bad idea Princess. You've been drugged, alright? We can't do this shit."

"Nuh uh," I sounded like a five year old girl – sure – _that_ was going to swell his arousal, "This doesn't have anything to do with that. I've wanted to _do the deed_ from the moment I met you. Which is weird because I'm not like that."

Dean smiled a little and – _god_ – it was adorable,

"Even more reason to hang back, okay? Plus, you callin' it _doing the deed_? Total turn-off. You sound like you're eighty."

Clearly he was going for humour but in my drug-induced haze it just made me feel worse,

"You think I'm ugly, don't you?" I sniffed and I heard him groan a little then shift back in close. Reaching over, he lifted my chin up and forced me to look at him.

 _Holy god those eyes_.

"Lauren Hope, you fuckin' listen to me. You are beautiful, alright? I'm crazy about you. Can't fuckin' help it. I don't know what it is but you get under my skin. Now, am I tellin' you this because I doubt you'll remember it when you wake up tomorrow? Probably, yes. But at least I've fuckin' said it."

I blinked,

"I – I'll remember."

"I admire your optimism Princess, I do, but I've seen how these kind of drugs work before and I'm pretty sure there's going to be this great big black hole."

As my weary arms gave way beneath me, I flopped back down onto my bed with a moan, letting my aching eyes slide shut heavily and absently tracing my fingers along his arm.

"No," I frowned, "No black hole – don't want it."

He leant in again and swept the hair from my forehead,

"Sssh, _hey_ , you're going to be fine."

But that wasn't the problem. The problem was forgetting. I wanted to remember every little thing. Dean liked me – said he was crazy about me – it was all I had wanted to hear and then more. No way could I forget those memories. It wasn't happening.

But sure enough by the morning they were gone.

* * *

 ***Ducks* I know, I know, don't hate me! I've got a plan. I know what I'm doing, alright? We're getting there people, I can't stress that enough. We're nearly there I promise and if you liked that, then hopefully you'll LOVE the pay-off (when it finally comes!)**


	18. Playing Catch Up

**So here we go with chapter eighteen, the morning after the night before!**

 **Psion53, but at least we know for sure that he likes her now, right? Lol. Okay, I'll admit it. I was kinda cruel but the course of true love never did run smooth! Well, not for these two anyway!**

 **Skovko, oh wow, that sounds totally horrible. I'm so glad you had someone to keep an eye on you throughout and that you were okay!**

 **Guest, *grins* I'm glad Dean is tough enough for you. I can't help but write him moody and gruff!**

 **MizHyde, so the torture continues for a couple chapters more! But only a couple (pinky promise) there's one or two things to get out of the way first…**

 **Samr09, glad you're still loving it and, what can I say? Cliffhangers are a way of life! There's kind of a big one coming up in a few days. You'll have to let me know what you think!**

* * *

 **Playing Catch Up**

"Hold on a second," Seth frowned blankly, raising a finger up off the wheel, "You actually think _Bray_ is the one who roofied Lauren? That's fucking insane man. Let this Wyatt thing go."

From where he was sitting in the back alongside me, Dean frowned fiercely,

"Firstly I didn't _say_ he roofied her. I _said_ we shouldn't rule him out. Two different things right there, okay Seth? Secondly, I'll _let this Wyatt thing go_ when Bray stops being a weird, creepy asshole."

Roman snorted and his eyes flickered upwards, catching both Dean and I in the rear view,

"Might be waiting a while on that one."

Dean shrugged,

"Then I'll just have to beat the shit out of him anyway – along with that dick friend of yours."

"What? _No_ ," I bleated balefully as I suddenly realized he was talking to me, "What did Matt do?"

"He was supposed to watch out for you,"

"He tried to – ,"

"Yeah right," Dean snorted back, "Is that why he was gettin' busy suckin' face in there while you were lyin' outside on your own? On your own _and_ with some fucker's hands all over you?"

"What?"

I blinked.

He hadn't mentioned _that_ before and suddenly my stomach lurched and my heart began to hammer. Who had been touching me? What in the world had happened? Fortunately Seth was a little more succinct,

"What the hell are you talking about, man?"

Dean ran his hands through his hair and glanced across me in what I assumed was a flicker of remorse. Clearly he had meant to break the news more gently, but his bubbling anger had gotten the best of him and it had all tumbled out without him meaning it to,

"When I took you back to your room last night, you told me you woke up to some guy fuckin' _strokin'_ you or some shit like that – remember it?"

"N-no."

"You said he scared you," Dean growled heatedly, "He covered your mouth when you tried to call out. He only bailed when I showed up. _That's_ why I want to beat the shit out of your friend Lauren. Who the fuck knows what that asshole was gonna do? You were on your own and fuckin' _helpless_."

"Jesus," Seth exhaled, "You think it was the same guy who put that shit in her drink?"

"Makes fuckin' sense,"

"Did you see him?"

No one spoke.

"Baby Girl?"

"Huh?"

Looking up suddenly I found all three men watching me and I realized that I hadn't been listening to them. How could I when I was too busy feeling nauseous? Literally since the moment I had woken up that morning, my head had been filled with nothing but a void. Beyond a vague recollection of hitting the dance floor I couldn't recall anything of my big night out and if I was honest it was a pretty scary sensation and _definitely_ not one I liked. At first I had assumed that I was maybe hungover, except it wasn't quite like that. It was only when Dean had come by to check up on me – seeming oddly sheepish at first – that I was able to uncover what had actually happened.

My drink had been spiked.

I had been drugged.

I was only barely over _that_ revelation and so to be told that I had been felt up as well was more than my poor addled brain could contend with.

"I _said_ did you see the guy?" Seth repeated carefully and I licked my lips and shook my head,

"No, I – I mean, I don't remember."

"So it could have been Bray?"

I shrugged,

"I suppose."

I guess I must have sounded kind of tearful – which was no great surprise given that was how I felt – because suddenly Roman turned to his teammate and frowned at him slightly,

"Come on man, that's enough,"

From the other side of the rental's long back seat, Dean put his hand out and dropped it down across my neck. He seemed to have been extra tactile that morning and although I was more than a little surprised by it, I shut my eyes and leant into his touch. I didn't realize I was actually crying until a tear rolled out and he grunted,

"Hey – ,"

"Dean, I'm s-so sorry,"

"What exactly are you apologizin' for Princess?"

"All of it," I sniffed and he sighed,

"Lauren, look at me."

Snapping off his seatbelt, Dean slid across the seats at me, cupping my face and turning it his way. _God_ he was gorgeous and he looked so loving that it almost stole my breath clean away. The stunning blue orbs held my brown eyes firmly and his thumb pads skimmed gently over my cheeks. I was vaguely aware that Roman and Seth were both watching us but in the moment I simply didn't care. Short of actually trying to make love to me, there wasn't much I wouldn't have let Dean do right there,

"You don't get to take the fuckin' blame for this, okay? And although I fuckin' hate to admit it, neither does your little friend. The only person to blame is the asshole who slipped you the stuff in the first place, alright? So to recap here – not your fault, _his_."

"But – but if I had watched my drink a little better – ,"

"Nah," Dean shook his head emphatically, "No good. These guys do this shit all the time. They're experts at it. Nothin' you could have done. You probably just looked away for a second, or checked your phone and – _bam_ – job done."

"But I was holding it the whole time," I frowned, trying frantically to remember, "The only time I put it down was when I went to the bathroom. Matt said he'd watch it."

"What was he doing when you got back?"

"Um – talking to a guy I think?"

Dean snorted,

"Sure, there you go then. Plus one more fuckin' reason to put my foot up his ass."

"No, please don't."

As the tears began to well unexpectedly, Dean sighed heavily and wiped them away,

"Sssh – hey – alright, I won't touch him. But he only gets two strikes with me Princess and he's down one already so he's nearly fuckin' out."

I shook my head at him, feeling utterly miserable,

"I don't know what's wrong with me, I c-can't stop crying,"

Despite my total emotional disintegration and the whole situation, Dean offered me a smile. His hands had fallen away from my face, but he was still sitting close to me and I focused on keeping calm by inhaling his deeply comforting scent.

"Yeah, I kinda noticed – that's the drugs. I mean, I don't think I've ever seen 'em make someone cry before, but everyone reacts differently, so this is just your deal I guess. Makes sense though, with you bein' a small town girl. You're not used to this shit and you straight up don't like it."

I blinked at him slowly,

"Dean? How do you know so much about this – um – _stuff_?"

There was a momentary pause in which he seemed to consider it and again I was aware that his teammates were watching us. Belatedly I remembered that his childhood was a topic that no one liked to talk about and I dropped my head, embarrassed. Way to screw up. Instead of gloss over the question however, Dean merely gave me a lopsided smirk,

"You sure you want to open up that can of worms here Princess? Let's just say that where I grew up, you got to know drugs pretty well, pretty fast. I've seen more idiots than I can count take this shit and they were still idiots after, so I guess they were fine. Just like you're gonna be."

"Fine or an idiot?"

"Yeah, I think I'll plead the fifth."

The gentle slap to the chest I gave him made him laugh and his smile lit my insides on fire. It really was a balsam to the system and I felt myself brighten and start to perk up.

"So," I sighed, "Anything else I should know about? Did I pee in the elevator? Flash my underwear in the lobby? Go skinny dipping in the fountain perhaps?"

As the tension fell away from us, Seth cackled loudly,

"Now that last one I would _definitely_ like to see."

"Hey," Roman grumbled, "No perving on our travel buddy,"

But I could tell that the Big Man was smiling as well and as our eyes connected briefly in the rear view mirror, he offered me a conspiratorial wink. When I looked back however, Dean was still watching me and there was something bright and intense about his gaze,

"You didn't do anythin'," he offered eventually, "Except for try to drag me into bed. Grabbed my junk too, I felt kinda violated."

I rolled my eyes at him,

"Oh, _ha ha_."

Despite the fact I knew he was joking, my hands grew sweaty and my heart rate sped up. Just the mere thought of Dean and I together was enough to turn me into mush and it wasn't long before my cheeks were burning and my breathing was coming out in swallow little gasps. Why on earth was he still looking at me like that?

"Who said I was kiddin'?"

" _Dean_ , cut it out,"

Instead of putting me out of my misery, he continued to stare at me with _something_ in his eyes. I mean, he _was_ joking right? Doubt began to nag at me and I tried to think back.

 _Come on brain, work._

Just as I was starting to panic however, he smiled at me suddenly and I let out a breath,

"You're an asshole Ambrose."

"Got you though, right?"

He certainly did have me – in more ways than one – but rather than say that and make things more awkward, I grinned a little and shook my head,

" _Please_ , I totally knew you were kidding."

"Oh yeah, that why you're cheeks are glowing red? But yeah, I mean, if we'd actually slept together, you would _definitely_ remember it. Drugs or no drugs."

 _Holy crap._

Was he seriously talking about sleeping with me? I mean, okay, so only in jest but there was also no denying the conversational turn. We'd never really talked about sex before and certainly never _suggestively_ like that. Inside my inner teenager was freaking the hell out, but outwardly I decided to try and play it cool and so I simply shrugged back at him, achingly casual,

"Okay, yeah, that would make sense. I mean, I can remember all the _other_ times I faked it, so stands to reason I would remember you as well."

Seth and Roman erupted from the front seats in dual exclamations of shock and pure awe,

" _Ohhhh_ ,"

"Damn, you got _burnt_. Looks like Baby Girl got some game."

I grinned back at Dean sweetly and his gaze made me giddy, one-part amusement to two-parts something else. It looked a little like pride or maybe _hunger_? No, surely I was making that up? Either way it made me blush fiercely and I looked away.

My god I had it bad.

The pinging of my cell phone proved a welcome distraction and I opened up a message that I assumed would be from Kelly. It wasn't. It was from Hunter and it made my blood chill rapidly.

"Oh god."

Dean frowned, on instant alert,

"What's wrong?"

"It's Hunter, he wants me to fly out with them after the show tonight. On the _private jet_."

Seth whistled,

"Nice. Do we all get an invite?"

"No," I wailed, "That's the whole point. It's going to just be me, him and _Stephanie_ ,"

At that point, thankfully, Seth caught on,

"Ah."

Again Roman's eyes found me out in the rear view and they were darkened with concern which I was actually touched by,

"She been giving you a hard time lately?"

"I – ," I shook my head, "I don't really know. I haven't actually seen her since I found out about – well – all of _this_. But I mean, she's still asking you guys to keep tabs on me, right? And then when I asked Hunter how she was taking it, he sort of pretty much didn't reply. Oh god, she hates me and I'm going to be trapped with her. What if she pushes me out of the plane?"

To my mind it was a genuine concern, but the others simply laughed at me which doubled my frown. Seeing it, Dean reached over and interlaced our fingers at which point all my fears dropped away,

"Relax Lauren, she might be fuckin' nuts, but I'm pretty sure _murder's_ not her style. Besides, Daddy Hunter will have your back. No way is he lettin' anythin' happen to you."

Drawing in a shaky breath, I nodded slowly,

"Yeah, okay, I – I guess you're right, thanks Dean."

"Plus," Seth added a little too brightly, "Pushing you out of a plane is pretty risky. If she _was_ going to kill you she'd be way more subtle, like poison or fucking hiring a hitman. That kind of shit is _totally_ her style."

My head started spinning and my heart began pounding,

"Okay, I think I'm going to be sick."

The next thing I knew I was on the verge of a panic attack and as I titled myself forward to try and drag air in, Roman shot his teammate a furious look. Seth however remained unrepentant and in the scheme of things was probably right,

"What? Let's face it man, she would."

The sudden feeling of Dean's palm on my neck kept me from losing my senses completely and as the warmth bled in through my skin like a furnace, I shut my eyes and breathed it out,

"Lauren, come on, take it easy Princess. It's just the drugs fuckin' with you, alright? There's nothin' to worry about, I mean, it'll be _awkward_ , but that's all. No one is murderin' _anyone_ , ya' hear? Not today, not tonight, not with a hitman. It isn't happenin'. And as for you," he shot at Seth angrily, "Stop fuckin' screwin' with her."

"Dude, I wasn't – ,"

"I feel really, _really_ sick."

Roman passed back a bottle of water and Dean took the top off and handed it across. The cool stream of liquid pushed down the nausea and I was finally able to breathe properly again. I was still shaking badly and – okay, I'll admit – maybe Dean was right about it being the drugs, because on top of everything else that was happening, I suddenly _also_ felt ridiculously tired. It was as if my eyes were being pulled at by weights that were far too heavy for one person to hold,

"Better?"

His hand was still on my neck and it made me sad all over again,

"No – _ugh_ – can't I just, you know, stay with you guys?"

"Sorry Princess," he smiled at me easily, "Seems like the Wicked Witch's flyin' monkeys aren't allowed on the company wings. Don't really see her and Trips squeezin' in here with us either. Looks like you're just gonna have to cope without our fuckin' _awesome_ company for the night."

"I know."

"Hey," he offered gently, slipping his hand around and easing my chin up, "You'll be fine, you hear me? You'll have a ball. But right now, we need to get you good and _un_ -roofied, so lots of water – rest of the bottle, drink it, go."

At Dean's insistence, over the next few hours, I chugged my way through another two bottles. It meant a bathroom stop sooner than they'd planned on, but he was right in that I definitely started to perk up. Well, in mind if not in body, because physically I was utterly spent. The drugs must have still been working their magic too, because when my eyelids – again – decided they were heavy, I dropped my sweater onto Dean's legs, pillowing my head down onto it carefully and then letting out a sigh without a single word. Fortunately Dean didn't say anything either and I drifted into blissful sleep, partially draped across his lap. His hand was on my shoulder, with his thumb stroking gently and it made the rest of my anxiety drop off.

Somewhere through the fog of exhaustion, I heard Seth – or _thought_ I heard him anyway – but he sounded like he was standing in the distance and it made me frown lightly,

"Geez man, you've got it bad."

Dean's voice came back at him sharp and warningly,

"Shut up Seth."

I didn't know what they meant.

* * *

 **Okay, so for all of you people wondering what Stephanie makes of everything. In the very next chapter you get to find out…**


	19. Fly My Pretties

**Okay, I'll admit it. No Dean in this one (well, barely) so I'll put the next one up tomorrow in recompense. Still, this chapter has it's place. We haven't had much Stephanie of late. Can't ignore her totally I guess!**

 **Skovko, I'll see what I can do!**

 **MizHyde, you never know how Stephanie is going to react, but it's usually not good. See what you think. Oh, and on the Dean and Lauren front I can promise you that it is soon now (at what point do you stop believing me when I say that though?!)**

 **AngelsDestiny22, they are both pretty smitten. I'm so glad you're still enjoying the ride. Here comes Stephanie…**

 **Psion53, he was really messing with her in the last one! Lauren's like me, I miss all the good stuff too!**

* * *

 **Fly My Pretties**

If I had ever needed a gentle reminder that I wasn't in Kansas anymore – well, Wisconsin technically but that's not the quote – then catching a ride to the airport with Hunter had definitely done that for me and more. His car was incredible. That is, I _say_ car, what I really mean is luxury vehicle because not only was it long, black and sleek but it also had its very own driver, a mini bar and real leather seats. Less appealingly it also had Stephanie who was keen to remind me that we didn't get along. If it had been possible to kill someone simply by looking, then I would have been stone cold dead from the start and thinking back to Seth's whole poison suggestion, I had politely declined Hunter's offer of a drink.

I wasn't taking any chances on that one.

Hunter on the other was either blind to the tension or else so damn pleased that we were all there together that he chose to overlook it. The latter I assumed, since the atmosphere was _bubbling_ and Stephanie wasn't blinking and for most of the journey chose not to move. Either way, Hunter merely talked through it, throwing out questions and statements and assessments that I answered with a nod or sometimes _mmhmm_.

"You getting to know your way round a little better?"

"Uh huh."

"You beginning to remember people's names?"

 _Nod_.

"How did you find the House Shows? Fun, huh?"

" _Mmhmm_."

To say that the journey was pretty damn awkward would have underplayed just how torturous it was and by the time we pulled up to the airport I was panicking about how much more we still had to come. Three hours on a plane with Stephanie and Hunter? How the hell was I going to survive? I felt a little mean – Hunter was trying – but all I could think about was how much I wanted Dean and to be back in the car with The Shield's friendly banter.

No, actually, I just wanted Dean.

The only time the uncertainty paused was when we stepped aboard the jet itself, because then – and I mean, _holy cow_ – how could anyone _not_ be impressed? It was like an exclusive hotel with wings and there were only going to be the three of us on it. Well, four with the pilot. At least I _hoped_ there was a pilot. Surely Hunter couldn't fly it himself?

For a second I stood in the doorway just gaping, but then Hunter smiled and beckoned me on, waving his arms around the space and indicating that I could take any seat that I set my heart on. I chose the opposite side to where Stephanie was sitting, keeping my distance – respectfully I hoped – but inadvertently ending up right in her eyeline. How much longer was it possible to glare for? I was almost surprised that her eyes hadn't fallen out and as Hunter moved around and spoke to the pilot, I looked down awkwardly and got out my phone to text Dean.

 _On the plane. She definitely hates me. Are you sure she won't throw me out in mid-air?_

He responded in a matter of seconds and it made me wonder whether if he'd been staring at his phone. Had he been waiting for me to text him? Had he been worried about my welfare? The thought made me smile and I looked up briefly. Stephanie's glare wiped it right off again,

 _I promise, no murders. Works both ways though. Don't kill the boss' wife. You're too pretty for an orange jumpsuit._

Did he _again_ say he thought I was pretty? I read it a second time and grinned. Yep. Dean freakin' Ambrose thought I was pretty. Or – well – too pretty for prison at least. It was a compliment I was willing to take anyway and I couldn't stop myself from smiling again. Steph was still glaring, but this time I let her and thankfully Hunter appeared back from the cockpit.

"Ready to go?"

I nodded mutely, not entirely trusting myself to speak. Realistically the answer was _no_ with minor variations on _get me off of this damn thing_ but since I was trying to act like I was normal I decided to pretend that everything was fine and judging from the way that Hunter smiled back at me, I made a pretty good job of it as well.

 _Huh, go me_.

In fact, his only problem was choosing where to sit, which became so loaded that I almost couldn't watch as he stood in the aisle and glanced back and forth, torn about as badly as it was possible to be. Did he sit with his beloved wife Stephanie, who was clearly expecting to be his choice, or did he sit with me, his long lost daughter who by comparison looked like she wanted to get off. I held my breath a little as he faltered, silently praying for him to choose his wife. Not that I wouldn't have appreciated the company, but I did _not_ want the heat it was bound to create. As he crossed towards Stephanie, I blew a relieved breath out and watched as he leant over and kissed her on the head. It was sweet little moment and she melted right into it in much the same way I always did with Dean. Then suddenly he turned and headed away from her, dropping himself into the seat beside me.

"You doing okay Lauren?"

 _Oh god, not good._

I didn't even _dare_ look at Stephanie. She was definitely going to murder me now. Swallowing a little, I managed a nod and a shaky little smile.

"Um – _yep_ – uh huh."

Clearly this time my acting prowess failed me, because Hunter took my hand in his and gave it a reassuring little squeeze,

"Not a great flyer, huh?"

"I – I'm getting better."

"Don't worry, you just hang on to me."

As I opened my mouth to tell him I was fine, the engines roared loudly and made me jump in fright. In response, Hunter smiled and squeezed my hand a little tighter and I was surprised by how comforting the tiny gesture was. In fact it was probably a good thing he was there because as it turned out I was feeling pretty twitchy as a result of all the glaring and the _tiny_ little plane. I jumped again when the pilot spoke up – giving us the basic timings and instructions – and then all out lost it as we took to the air and virtually _burrowed_ into his jacket. I didn't re-emerge until we were level at which point I coughed and somewhat awkwardly cleared my throat,

"Um, thanks for – you know – _that_."

He smiled at me, looking kind of touched,

"Not a problem. Any time."

For a second it felt like we were having a moment and the comfort and ease that I had felt during lunch with him came flooding right back to me. This guy was my _dad_ and I trusted him to keep me safe. It was kind of a big deal – the first time I had needed him – and judging from the look on his face, he realised it too. Whether or not Stephanie did was debatable, but her poorly placed cough swiftly broke us apart.

Oh who was I kidding? She totally knew.

Reaching up and scratching at his head, Hunter smiled sheepishly and quickly stood up.

"Uh, I've got to go talk to the pilot real quick, are you going to be alright back here?"

"I guess so," I nodded while internally screaming _oh dear god please don't leave me with her_.

"Good and while I'm gone maybe you two can – uh – _talk_ or something? Get to know one another."

He was about as subtle as a wrecking ball and both Stephanie and I glared back at him unimpressed. Talking was something neither of us wanted. I mean what the hell would we even talk _about_? The fact we didn't like each other? Dean's quirky little nickname for her? Yeah, maybe not. Sensing that he was no longer very popular, Hunter shot me one final look and then strode off purposefully right into the cockpit, ignoring my all but plaintive look.

 _Great._

I instantly whipped my phone out,

 _He's left me alone with her. What do I do? Do I go over and talk to her? What do I say?_

Once again his reply was instant,

 _What do you want to do?_

I rolled my eyes,

 _I don't know. I think I should try and talk to her._

Okay, he was definitely sitting on his phone,

 _Then go for it. What's the worst that could happen?_

I assumed that it was a rhetorical question but as usual, Dean made a very valid point and feeling emboldened by his – vague – reassurance, I took a deep breath and shakily stood up. Across the aisle, Stephanie had her phone out and although I was sure she had to have seen me, she certainly managed to keep the façade up. It was clear she wanted me to go and sit back down again but since that would have _more_ embarrassing than whatever exchange I was about to encounter, I simply remained on my slow, reluctant course until I came to an awkward standstill in front of her.

"Um, hello."

She looked up lazily, her lips curling snidely,

"Can I help you?"

Well that was a brilliant start, complete with narrowed eyes and a tone that dripped contempt. It was probably just as well I'd turned down that drink. My cheeks flushed on instinct and I dropped my gaze slightly as she succeeded in making me feel three feet tall.

"Oh, well it's nothing really. I just – I thought you might like to – kinda _talk_ – but you're obviously busy, so, uh, never mind. It wasn't important. Sorry I disturbed you."

I turned on my heel to head back to my seat, but stopped as I heard her sigh from behind me. Cautiously I spun back around to face her and was surprised to see her looking almost remorseful.

"Lauren, right? Look, I'm sorry. I mean, I'm sure by now you've heard I'm a bitch and I'm probably acting like one right now. It's just – honestly – I'm not sure how to deal with this. _Any_ of this."

I blinked at her,

 _Wow._

Suddenly it felt like there was something we could bond on,

"Me too," I answered, offering a smile, "Seriously. I have _literally_ no idea what I'm doing."

"Well you're doing a pretty good job so far."

I wasn't entirely sure what she meant by that – doing a good job ruining her life maybe – but in the interests of forging some sort of relationship, I decided to take it positively and in return be genuine,

"So are you."

Her head bobbed up in response and she frowned at me, but instead of looking hate-filled and angry it was more like she was trying to work me out. Eventually she took a breath,

"Well, that's very kind of you to say."

"I mean it," I continued, "I can't begin to imagine what you must be feeling, or what you must think of me just arriving out of the blue. I – I just want you to know that it was never my intention to cause trouble between you or stir anything up. I wasn't really thinking at all if I'm honest, I just – I don't know – it was kind of like an _impulse_. I had to find him."

"Because of your mom?"

Somewhere throughout my one-woman dialogue, I had almost forgotten that I was actually in conversation and had started to instead pour out my jumbled thoughts. Stephanie's voice startled me out of it for two reasons, the first one being the tone of her voice – which was actually soft and non-judgemental – and the second was the fact that she had mentioned my mom. Sucking in a sudden breath, I swallowed and nodded, not sure what to say,

"Ye-ah."

"Well," she sighed, "If it's any consolation then everything I've heard about you has been good. I know I went in a little hard on you before – ,"

"I get it," I shrugged, "You were looking out for you family."

"While you were simply _looking_ for yours."

A silence fell between us and I chanced a glance up at her as a thread of understanding seemed to grow. Could it actually be that we were on the same page for once? Was she sympathizing with me? No, surely not. I drew in a deep breath and took my chance,

"It was never about money or anything like that. I just couldn't face the thought of being alone. I know you probably don't believe me but – ,"

"Actually I do,"

I blinked at her,

"Really?"

What had inspired _that_ turn of events? The last time we had seen one another she was so sure I was the enemy that I expected her to have started moving their savings into a scattering of untraceable off-shore bank accounts. Now she believed me? That was new. Clearly she saw the look on my face and she sat back a little – almost relaxing – and offered up a little half-shrug,

"Hunter never thought that's what you were after. He believed you right from the start. I suppose now that you really are his _daughter_ – ," I couldn't miss the flicker on her face or the effort it took her to get the word out, "I have to start giving you the benefit of the doubt. Besides which I have certain _sources_ I've been hearing from and they've all said the same thing as well."

"Sources?" I repeated, knowing exactly who her contacts were. She was talking about The Shield. She was talking about Dean and the thought of him defending me, telling his big bad boss that I was on the level, made the butterflies in my stomach flutter up. I smiled a little and hoped she wouldn't see it. She didn't appear to.

"Can you really blame me for wanting to keep tabs on you? I would do it again if I had to, without hesitation. It's my business and my family and I'm not sorry for it."

"I honestly wouldn't expect you to be."

"I'm glad you understand that Lauren, thank you."

As the line of communication faltered – but fortunately this time in a comfortable way – I decided that in a conversation of chances, it was maybe time to take one more. After all, Stephanie and I were getting on better so it seemed a good moment to go all out. As usual however my delivery was stumbled and a little less polished than I would have liked,

"I – I would like it – I mean, I know _Hunter_ would like it and I would too, if we could sort of be _friends_ or friend _ly_ or something – you know, in time. If that was what you wanted too?"

For a second Stephanie simply stared at me blankly and I was terrified that I had gone too far. Why had I spoken? _God_ I was stupid. Things had been going well and I had blown it. That was it, I officially hated myself. Thankfully however, after long seconds of waiting, she finally offered up a resigned looking smile,

"Well, I know that's what Hunter is hoping for, as you can probably tell from the way he left us to conveniently have this little discussion."

I grinned,

"Yeah, he wasn't very subtle about it was he?"

"We don't really do subtle in this family as I'm sure you'll probably come to find out."

I smiled. It was the first time she had described me in terms of being within the family rather than apart from it. So okay, maybe we weren't the best of friends yet, but we were at least making steps towards that. Sort of.

"I hope so."

Tentatively I took a seat beside her, half-expecting her to push me back off and was pleased when she didn't. Things were definitely looking up.

"Look Lauren," she offered suddenly, startling me, "I'm not the kind of person who gets things wrong but when I do I apologize so – _I'm sorry_. I can't begin to imagine how the last few months have been for you. You must have been through absolute hell. My family is everything to me and if I didn't have them, then I guess I would do whatever I had to as well. What I'm saying is, I get it, okay? I understand why you came looking for Hunter."

I nodded in thanks and looked down mutely to hide the tears that were beginning to form. I couldn't help it – and it wasn't the roofies – underneath it all I was still just _sad_. I jumped a little as her hand reached over and comfortingly squeezed at my arm. It seemed like Hunter was right after all, Stephanie _was_ kind of sweet and when I looked up, her smile was sympathetic. She squeezed a little tighter,

"Can I get you something?" she offered, "I know I could use a drink right now."

Without the apparent need for an answer she crossed towards the glossy looking mini bar and set about pouring two glasses of whisky.

 _Hell yeah._

Our similarities were growing by the minute and when she handed me the glass, I didn't even pause. A second later we were clinking our tumblers and silently throwing the amber nectar back. It slid down my throat like a honey-smooth fire and I instantly felt a little more alive. I was going to be okay. Screw Seth's crazy fears of poison.

"So, where do we go from here?" I asked carefully, fuelled by my welcome alcohol kick, "In terms of, well, you know, _everything_?"

"Hunter and I have talked about that. For now we think it's best to keep things as they are. Keep this just between us. _In the family_. Hunter tells me you're happy working backstage?"

I nodded quickly,

"Oh yeah, I love it."

"Good, well then if you're happy, we'll just take it from there – get to know one another a little better, maybe start get you more involved."

I blinked.

 _Uh oh._

There it was again – publicity – and I swallowed a little and cleared my burning throat,

"More involved as in, _on camera_ stuff?"

She looked at me,

"Possibly. Why, is that a problem?"

I coughed,

"Well, I mean, it's just that I – I'm not really _that_ kind of person, you know? I didn't want to say it to Hunter, but the thought of being on television or in the ring? Completely terrifies me. I think I'd run a mile."

For a second she simply stared at me and once again I couldn't quite read the expression on her face. Did she think I was pathetic? Yeah, she probably did but rather than say it she simply filled her glass back up and nodded slowly,

"Right, okay. Of course, I'm sorry, I'm going too fast for you. I – _we_ – can slow down."

I shot a smile back at her, feeling relieved,

"Thank you, that's – that's great, really."

"I imagine it's all been pretty overwhelming for you – being immersed in this business and the company, having to travel on the road with The Shield," her gaze slid across to mine somewhat curiously, "I do hope they didn't scare you too bad?"

"Um, no," I offered, not sure what to say. What exactly was she wanting to hear? "I mean, okay, so they're a little bit _gruff_ and whatever, but I guess I've got used to them and their little routine, so, yeah, it works."

"Well, that's good to know. Hunter wants to make sure you're well looked after, so can I tell him you're happy to keep travelling with them for now?"

 _Thank god._

"Yep – uh huh – perfectly happy."

I wasn't kidding either, I was screaming inside.

 _Whoop whoop_.

It was all going so much better than I had hoped for and a few minutes later, when Hunter reappeared, I could tell that he was thinking pretty much the same thing. By that point Stephanie and I were sat together, sipping on our second large helping of whisky and chatting pretty amiably, almost like old friends. The way his face lit up was incredible and I was pleased and proud that I had done that for him. Stephanie and I may not have been buddies but we were making the effort and we were doing it for him. The rest of journey was relaxing and easy and as we touched down I sent a message to Dean.

 _I'm here, no murdering and that's not all – you know, I think Stephanie actually likes me._

His reply was instantaneous,

 _How could she not?_

* * *

 **Things move on in the next chapter and not in the way you think either…see you tomorrow *walks away whistling***


	20. All Fall Down

**Here we go then, because I'm soooo good to you, here's the next chapter. The plot thickens in this one!**

 **Skovko, haha! A marriage proposal based on my writing? That's new! Probably best to stick with your hubby for now though. You haven't read the rest of the story yet! ;-)**

 **Psion53, yeah, Steph was kind of the elephant in the room, so I thought it best to address how she felt. Stephanie's going to crop up a lot more in this story. She's a pretty interesting character to write (putting it mildly!)**

 **Kayla English, I'm glad you're so invested, there's still a** _ **whole**_ **lot more to come!**

 **Wrestlechic1, sisters are doing it for themselves in that last one. They could potentially make a formidable team. Not that my character's lives ever run smoothly but at least she wasn't pushed out of the plane!**

 **MizHyde, hmmm, eighty four years? I feel you exaggerate! Kinda feels like that though! You're patience is about to be rewarded… I mean, not quite yet, but we're so, so close! One more twist in the tale to come before that and then the fall-out but** _ **then**_ **you get a show!**

 **See you at the bottom of the page...**

* * *

 **All Fall Down**

The next day at the taping I was literally on fire. It was like I was going for employee of the month. If somebody needed a towel, I was there in a heartbeat, if the producers called a prop, then it was already done. I even started pre-empting drinks orders and at one point surprised several wrestlers in a row.

"Diet coke?"

As AJ Lee walked back through the curtains, I offered her a tall iced glass on a tray. For a second she merely blinked at me incredulous and then smiled brightly,

"Oh, wow, thanks."

"You're welcome," I grinned, turning back towards Matty who was watching me work with crossed arms and a sigh,

"Okay, that's it, you have _got_ to stop doing that – you're officially starting to make me look bad."

Putting down the tray I bumped him with my shoulder and winked at him smartly,

"Well maybe _you_ should keep up."

"You know, I could say something wicked in response, but I won't, because of what happened at the club."

I sighed,

"Come on Matt, really, I'm fine."

I meant it too, I was totally back to normal and what was more I was ready to leave it all behind. Matt however was still carrying the guilt around and ever since my _roofie-ing_ , had been acting extra nice. The night before when he had seen me for the first time since Dean had grumpily carried me off, he had flung his arms around me so tightly that I had genuinely worried my poor lungs were going to burst. It had been twenty four hours but he was _still_ apologizing and on that front Dean didn't offer much help. Whenever he stalked past he threw Matt a death glare, which rendered my _you're forgiven_ completely null and void. Nor did _I'm fine_ seem to work any better, as Matt blew out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair,

"You are _now_ but Dean was right, anything could have happened to you. If I had been watching your drink more closely. If I hadn't been dancing and making out with that guy – ,"

"Who by the way was totally hot."

Matt's eyes lit up,

"I know, he _was_."

"Did you get his number?"

"Cell _and_ home phone," Matt sang back smugly and I grinned as he relaxed. Sadly however it only lasted momentarily because the next thing I knew he was ramrod straight again, "Lauren, two o'clock."

I blinked at him,

"Huh?"

In response, Matt's hands quickly suckered to my shoulders and he turned me round – I didn't get the clock thing. Standing across gorilla, unmoving and unblinking was Bray and he was staring at me.

 _Oh great._

There I was on top of the world and someone had to come along and break it all up. A very eerie, very _creepy_ someone. He was almost like a gremlin or an ugly caricature, with the big moon head, the tangle of curly beard growth and the wet fronds of hair dripping right down his face. It partly shielded the unnaturally wide eyeballs but not nearly enough and I shuddered at their gaze. If Dean's eyes were safe and smouldering and sexy then Bray's were the literal opposite of that. It was like being stared at by a crazy axe murderer and it made me draw in a tremulous breath. Matt did too,

"What is he doing here?"

"I – I don't know. Are they due in the ring yet?"

"Nope, end of the show."

"So what you're _saying_ ," I posited carefully, "Is that _technically_ they shouldn't be here?"

"Nope."

Which meant that they were there for something other than their match-up and my heart lurched.

Did that mean they were there for _me_?

Since my run-in with Bray and Fandango, I had seen barely hide nor hair of the Wyatt boys and I had started to think they had simply lost interest. Apparently however, that answer was _no_. As Luke Harper loomed out of the shadows behind him – also not blinking – Bray started to move, crossing gorilla position towards me and making the breath stick fast in my throat,

"Matt," I hissed, "What – what do I do?"

Clearly still trying to make amends for the whole _roofie thing_ , Matt responded with a sudden show of strength, drawing himself upright and stepping in front of me while purposefully starting to flex his skinny fists.

"I'll handle this Lauren."

I blinked at him,

"Really?"

Bray came in closer and how was it possible that no one else could see what was going on? I appreciated that running a live broadcast was difficult and that everybody was zoned in on their own specific job, but when a crazed hulk of a wrestler was stalking through production then surely someone should have noticed _something_ off? Unless they did and were simply ignoring it because I was just a runner and he was – well – _Bray_.

"Stay behind me," Matt whispered roughly, "I'll keep him back."

"Uh huh, okay, thanks,"

Bray was closing in on us worryingly quickly and to make matters worse he had Harper in step. The pair of them were like a strange Neolithic double act and I could feel my heart beating just under my skin. Nor – as it turned out – was I alone in my panic since Matty's resolve lasted up until the point that they were ten feet away.

Then it promptly broke,

"You know what? I'm not brave – get out of here Lauren."

"What?" I frowned at him, "But – but you said – ,"

"Forget that. I can't fight them, look at the size of them. Run Lauren, run okay? Go and find Dean."

As Bray briefly paused to dodge a member of the production crew, I took Matt's advice to turn tail and flee. I knew from having scuttled around the arena earlier that The Shield's dressing room was located near the back – it wasn't really a dressing room either, more a little space where they could simply be apart – but I turned on the gas and pounded towards it anyway, half-breathless before I had even made a start.

Somewhere around the third or fourth corridor, I managed to get my worry to even out. I mean, how did I know they were even coming after me? Maybe they'd just wanted a water from Matt? It was both crazy and narcissistic to assume they were after me and I let myself pause and took a look back.

Scratch that.

The pair of them were still lumbering after me gamely and although I was almost flat-out running they had barely moved beyond a lope. I picked up the pace again and flew round the corner, colliding with a yelp into a big khaki chest. A hand flew out and grabbed my wrist harshly and I gasped in horror.

Erick Rowan.

 _Crap._

Instinctively I tried to back up and pull my arm loose, cursing my bad choices. What were the odds? To make matters worse I was in a part of the arena where not many members of the production staff went. It was well away from the rest of the locker rooms and gorilla _and_ Hunter's office as well. In trying to get to someone who made me feel safer, I'd actually managed to heap more trouble _on_ and realizing it I struggled like a wildcat and booted Rowan in the shins.

"Let _go_."

To his credit he grunted and flinched just a little but otherwise didn't once loosen his grip. I could still just about see round the stark corridor and the plodding figures of Bray and Harper made my heart drop.

 _Oh god._

I felt sick and shaky. What did they even want with me? What was the point of this whole thing? To scare me? To make me wish I'd never come here? If that was the case, then they could pack up and go home. The three of them had already done the job.

"Please," I yelped as Rowan bent my wrist slightly, "Please, you're hurting me – _let me go_."

I was so consumed by my whirring emotions that I completely missed the arrival of someone else and it was only when a voice echoed loudly down the corridor that I clued in to exactly who that someone was.

" _Hey_."

Both Rowan and I looked up in startled tandem and my heart flooded instantly with beautiful relief. Standing looking furious were three black-clad figures and one of them in particular seemed as if he might burst. Almost instantly Rowan let go of me and I clumsily stumbled back before pelting towards Dean. He grabbed up my arm as soon as I was close enough and dragged me behind him – behind all _three_ of them – protectively. All I could see was a forest of black vests but I would have easily taken it over the monstrous sight of Bray. Meanwhile the man in question had caught up to us because his unpleasant tones were the next ones I could hear,

"This ain't got nothing to do with you fellers. I'm here for Little Bird. Come out pretty girl."

His sing-song voice made me physically shudder and sensing it, Dean stepped forward to make his feelings clear. He wasn't going to let me get anywhere near them and to that point he sounded ferocious as hell.

"Didn't I tell you not to look at her last time? I told you she was off limits. So what is it, huh? Too much facial hair in your ears or are you _that_ fuckin' stupid? I really wanna know."

"I'm not talking with you," Bray shot back fiercely, "I've got something Mockingbird needs to hear – something to keep her safe."

" _We_ keep her safe. You get that Wyatt? She doesn't fuckin' need you."

"She doesn't want you either," Seth added tersely, getting into the mix, "Think she made that pretty clear from the way she was practically screaming back there."

Bray however remained unmoved,

"Mark my words she'll want to know what I've got for her. We all just want what's best for our little Mockingbird."

Dean shifted angrily,

"Don't fuckin' call her that."

"Is she not a Little Bird?" Bray replied, "Flapping her delicate wings in the sunshine and hoping some foul beast don't steal her away. That's all Bray's really trying to do here. I just want to show her how to fly."

"You're not showing her a god damn thing," Roman growled, cracking his knuckles for extra effect. By glancing down I could see the Wyatt's feet and my heart lurched as I realised that they were almost toe to toe. I was standing in the middle of an official wrestling stare down and I didn't particularly like it.

"Get it into your skull _boy_ ," Bray grumbled angrily at Dean I assumed, "This is something she needs to be told – ,"

Dean stepped forward hotly and Seth just caught him, towing him back before he could get them into trouble. The tension was zinging through the air like lightning bolts and I swallowed uncertainly, willing it to end,

"I'm gonna tell you one more time Wyatt," Dean spat darkly, roughly pushing off Seth's hands, "You don't look at her, you don't talk to her, you don't go near her, _ever_ _again_. If I see any one of your filthy spawn puttin' hands on her, I'll make you wish you'd never been born. I'll fuckin' _bury_ your whole inbred family. That's a promise."

I shivered in response. Angry Dean was downright scary and yet – also – kind of hot.

 _Yeah, great time to get aroused Lauren_.

What the hell was wrong with me?

"Easy boys," I heard Bray murmur as Harper and Rowan obviously strained forward, "That ain't what we came for. Not tonight, you hear?"

To be honest his response was pretty surprising since I assumed that he of all people would have been spoiling for a fight. Maybe he really _had_ just wanted to talk to me. Either that or Dean's explicit threatening had worked. In essence, I didn't know what was really happening but I gradually picked up the sound of moving feet and the collective shoulders of The Shieldgrouped around me slowly relaxed and their tight fists unclenched. When Dean ran his hands through his hair I knew for certain that the danger was over.

Roman turned around,

"You alright Baby Girl?" he asked me gently, putting a big warm hand on my arm. I nodded, apprehensively but was keen to reassure them as Seth's eyes swept worriedly over me as well,

"I – I'm okay. I'm just glad you found me."

"You're lucky we did," Seth blew out a breath, "We came out of the locker room and heard you yelling. You sure you're alright?"

I nodded again,

"Uh huh, I'm good."

Throughout the conversation Dean had stayed quiet and I assumed he had simply been trying to calm down, but at the sound of the pause he suddenly spun round again and not only was he still pissed but he was mostly pissed at me,

"What the hell was that Lauren?"

"What?"

"I thought I told you to stay away from them? Don't you listen to a fuckin' word I say or do you get some kick out of gettin' into trouble? What _is_ it with you?"

I gaped back.

 _Excuse me?_

"I _did_ stay away – or, I mean – at least I _tried_ to. Bray and Harper just strolled into gorilla and literally walked right up to where I was. No one tried to stop them, no one did _anything_. I didn't know what else to do so I ran. What do you think I'm all the way back here for? I was coming to find _you_ when Rowan grabbed hold of me."

"Dean," Roman frowned, interrupting, "Go easy,"

"Yeah man, it's not like this is her fault."

As Seth and the Big Dog moved to defend me, I pouted and gingerly rubbed at my hand. I could still feel Rowan's fat fingers on my wrist bone and my heart was pounding with the force of the shock. I hated that Dean was so angry with me, especially since I had done nothing wrong and as I dropped my gaze and stared at the concrete I heard him sigh and step in close. I didn't look up again until he brushed my fingers off and started appraising my red, throbbing wrist,

"Did he hurt you?"

I shrugged,

"No, not really, he just kind of _twisted_ it a little I guess."

His fingers were warm and caring against me and I almost groaned at how amazing they felt. Despite the fact that he was still clearly pissed – not at me but more in general – his touch was smooth and soft and when he finally let go of my wrist and looked up at me, he seemed more even-tempered,

"We'll get you some ice."

"I'm serious Dean," I murmured sadly, "I tried to keep away from them, really I did."

He nodded and blew out a breath of resignation,

"I know. It's just – I hate seein' them near you. It makes my fuckin' _skin_ crawl."

"Yeah, you and me both."

"So," Seth broke in and I almost startled, having basically forgotten that he and Roman were there, " _Now_ do we tell Hunter or not?"

"Not," Dean growled and Seth all but groaned,

"Fuck – come on Dean, what else needs to happen? The cockroaches, the drugging, now getting grabbed? Not that I'm saying this whole thing was the Wyatts but _something's_ wrong and you know it as well."

I frowned at him blankly,

"What does that mean?"

"It _means_ ," Seth sighed, softening slightly, "That I don't think these are just one-off things. Lauren, I think someone's coming after you."

"Seth – ," Roman warned but it was already too late,

"C-coming after me?" I echoed shakily, "What does that mean? Why? Who?"

"No one," Dean shot back far too quickly, narrowing his eyes almost darkly at Seth, "It doesn't mean shit, alright? The guy's talkin' crazy. No one is fuckin' after you, okay?"

His teammate threw his hands up wearily,

"So what? We're just going to keep ignoring this?"

" _Yes_."

"Suit yourself man," Seth muttered bitterly, "But don't come crying to me when some _other_ shit goes down."

Throughout the exchange I had been standing numbly, trying to comprehend what the hell was going on. How could I be part of anyone's vendetta? I hadn't had time to make any enemies. Seth was way off base. That was it. He _had_ to be. But at the same time, what if he wasn't at all? I mean the drugging thing could certainly have been filed beneath _unfortunate_ but the cockroach thing was squarely aimed at me. Was he right? Oh god, what if he was? What would I do?

"Hey," Roman murmured in my direction deeply, breaking me from my frantic reverie, "Let's go and get you some ice for that wrist, huh? Don't you worry, you're going to be fine."

I nodded mutely and watched him walk away from me, only moving when Dean placed a hand on my back,

"I'd listen to him if I were you, the big guy knows what he's talkin' about. Seth just fuckin' likes to worry about shit. I mean it Lauren, no one is after you, alright? Nobody's tellin' Hunter anythin' either. If the Wyatts show up again, you come and you find us and we'll set them straight, just like we did tonight."

I nodded,

"Okay."

He smiled at me softly and then prodded me towards the others and as a threesome we headed for gorilla again. By the time we reached the parking garages, I was breathing more steadily and – despite everything – I was actually feeling calm. In fact I was so calm that I started to drop behind a bit, which wasn't a surprise given how fast the guys walked. As my poor little legs were just starting to pass the big rigs, the others were almost clear of the row and sensing that I was no longer beside him, Dean stopped and waited for me to catch up. I was so focused on speeding my pace up to meet him, that I wasn't paying attention to anything else and it was only when I saw his face fall dramatically that I even realized something was wrong. At the same time I heard Seth bellow somewhere ahead of me and the panic in his voice chilled me right to the core,

" _Lauren!_ "

 _Huh?_

I realized too late that one of the trucks was reversing back on me and I sputtered to a halt. The big black chassis was heading towards me and the tires were crunching over the ground. I was so confused that I couldn't even process it and my useless legs didn't seem to want to work. Not like there was anywhere I could have moved _to_ since I wasn't prepared enough to push myself off. In a moment my life flashed clean before my eyes and I squeezed them shut tightly.

That was it. Goodbye and goodnight.

As I braced myself something barrelled hard into me, throwing us at the wall on the truck's other side. I slammed back into it and my head bounced off painfully as a solid body pressed up tight against my mine. I opened my eyes as the big rig slid past us and then crashed back hard into the garage's far side. If I hadn't moved – no, been pushed – out of the way of it then I would have been _under_ it.

I started to shake.

"Shit," I heard Dean's voice above me and _of course_ my hero would have to be him, "Lauren, are you okay? Are you hurt? Fuck. _Say_ somethin'."

His hands began to paw at my head, pushing my hair aside and gently assessing the spot where my skull had slammed back against the wall. Eventually he stopped and lifted my face up, his blue eyes boring into me with fierce concern,

"Dean?" I murmured but it wasn't a question, it wasn't much of _anything_.

"I know," he replied, his voice gruff and husky and without another word I simply wilted into him, wrapping my arms around him and feeling as he sighed and wound his own across my back. His lips found my hair in a gesture of comfort and I could feel him shaking slightly.

Unless that was me.

" _Dean_? _Lauren_?"

Seth's panicked tones rang out loudly and I heard him come sliding around the front of the crumpled rig. Clearly the sight of us relatively uninjured was a massive relief to him because his next word was _fuck_.

"What the hell happened?" I heard Roman rumble and above me Dean shrugged,

"No fuckin' clue, the thing just started movin' backwards. Who the hell's drivin'? Don't they know to fuckin' look?"

I glanced to one side as Seth went off to investigate and heard him bang angrily against the driver's door,

"Hey, open up man. What the hell is wrong with you? You could have fucking killed someone. Come on, open – _huh_ ,"

At the sound of the noise, Dean instantly stiffened and I looked up fretfully,

"What does that mean?"

No one said anything, waiting for Seth and sure enough he quickly came back. The fact he said nothing was instantly troubling and his face held none of its cocksure façade. He looked almost hesitant – which I'd never seen on him before – and it filled every one of us with instant alarm,

"What?" Roman asked, clearly impatient, "Who the hell was it?"

Seth blinked,

"No one."

"What do you mean, _no one_?" Roman asked and Seth shrugged at him,

"It means what it sounds like. The keys are in the engine, but there's nobody there. It looks like they ran or got out or whatever. Probably didn't want to chance sticking around. Either that or – ,"

He didn't say it. He didn't really need to.

 _Either that or they thought they'd done the job._

I gripped Dean tighter as the fear washed in over me and although he stayed quiet, his arms drew in close.

"It – it was an accident," I whispered from his vest folds, "It was just a stupid accident, right?"

The members of The Shield were staring at one another and their lack of response was an answer in itself. None of us were certain of anything anymore and in the end it was down to Seth to break the weird hush,

"So I guess we're telling Hunter now?"

There wasn't any argument.

It had to be done.

* * *

 **Dun, dun, dun! So, who dunnit, huh? Answers on a postcard please. Back to the usual three day wait now but then it's off to see how Papa Hunter reacts.**

 **Have a great weekend all!**


	21. Taking The Stage

**So, once more unto the breach…(some Shakespeare, why not?)**

 **Kayla English, Safe to assume Hunter's not very happy! He's kind of on the warpath in this one!**

 **MizHyde, I like the way you're thinking...maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. Also, I think you're going to** _ **love**_ **the next one!**

 **Raze Olympus, Sorry, hope the wait wasn't too bad and that this chapter makes up for it!**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Ooh, yay, chills are good! So glad you're enjoying it.**

 **Skovko, Is she unlucky though? Or is she actually lucky that Dean's always there? Oh no, wait, you're right, she's definitely unlucky!**

 **Psion53, She could hide away, but where's the fun in that? Besides, Stephanie and Hunter have another way around it, as you'll find out…**

 **Also, just as a general aside, we are now officially,** _ **exactly**_ **half-way through! Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's a true thing, so...there you go!**

* * *

 **Taking The Stage**

I wasn't sure if the worst part about telling Hunter was his glowering expression or the fact that he remained quiet – as in _deathly_ quiet – as the tale of woe was painstakingly revealed.

We were in his office, crowded round the desk, with me in a chair and Hunter sitting opposite while Stephanie stood listening over his shoulder.

Although Dean was usually The Shield's main spokesman, Seth had taken over the reins of the narrative and instead Dean hovered close behind me, his clasped hands occasionally brushing the back of my neck. It wasn't an intentional touch – there was nothing obvious or bold about it – but the warmth fizzled through me nevertheless and gave us both a sense of physical contact. It was softly reassuring and it made me feel safe. His touch was at odds with Hunter's expression which bubbled dangerously over the desktop and threatened to erupt at any given second. It was the first time I had seen my father look anything other than sort of _benign_ and it reminded me starkly that we were still as good as strangers.

Really it had been an evening of revelations.

Including that someone was potentially trying to kill me.

"So that's when we decided to come to you," Seth finished up having listed all of the _incidents_ and hearing them laid out made the whole thing seem real _._ Hunter's head moved slowly in a nod and he looked up sharply across the steeple of his fingers,

"Was anyone going to tell me about this?" he sounded icy, actually he sounded murderouswhich was sort of ironic given the whole _truck_ thing, "How long were you planning on lying to me?"

"Hunter – ," Stephanie began evenly, but he roundly ignored her and bellowed instead,

" _How long_."

His shout echoed in off the walls all around us and I could feel the guys physically stiffen in response. It was all so unfair. How could he blame them? I couldn't let that happen and maybe it was the shock or the adrenaline of what had happened but suddenly I found myself raising my voice back,

"Hey – _no_ – it wasn't their fault. None of this was. Stop yelling at them."

For a second everyone simply stared back at me with varying degrees of pride and surprise. I continued to frown at Hunter however who – for his part – kept up the murderous façade,

"They lied to me – ,"

"Because I _asked_ them to. I begged them not to tell you. They were doing it for _me_."

"Why?"

"I didn't want you to send me away."

 _Away from you._

 _Away from Dean._

Hunter's expression flickered slightly,

"You think I would do that?"

I shrugged,

"I don't know. I just – I mean, I pretty much turned up here out of the blue and I figured that I was already kind of _pushing my luck_ being allowed to say in the first place, you know? So then when all of this _stuff_ started happening I was worried you would think I was more trouble than I was worth and send me home or something – I don't know – _I'm sorry_."

Somewhere along the way my explanation had become a monologue and in my haste to get out exactly how I felt and why I had messed things up so badly, I managed to nearly upset myself. I felt pathetic but I _had_ nearly been run over. Perhaps the emotion was coming from that? Dean's fingers lightly grazed my nape and I sucked in a breath and leaned back into them.

"Lauren," Hunter offered, sighing a little as conflicting emotions raged behind his eyes. Fortunately for me however, his _father_ side won over which was clearly as new a sensation for him as it was for me, "That's not going to happen. I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. Not now that I've met you and started to get to know you and – ,"

He paused momentarily and then glanced up at The Shield, obviously wondering how much they knew. No one spoke and in the silence I bit my lip guiltily and cleared my throat,

"Um, it's okay – they _kind of_ know."

"Kind of?"

"We know," Dean asserted confidently, moving to take some of the heat away from me. As Hunter's fierce gaze swung in his direction, Seth stepped in swiftly to back him up,

"We figured she was more than just a runner since the boss' wife asked us to look out for her."

Dean snorted,

"I mean, we're not exactly known for our bedside manner here, you know? So if _you_ asked _us_ then there had to be a reason, so we made sure we got the truth out of her. Didn't have to try very hard. We're pretty persuasive when we wanna be and she's just a little small town girl. Not her fault. But yeah, we know."

Okay, he was definitely taking the fall and my heart completely sang with it. _God_ I loved him. As Roman stepped forward to back up his brothers and the tension rose just a millimetre more, Stephanie sighed and held her hands up, sensing the need to seize control,

"Fine, so now you know. I assume you haven't told anyone?"

"Who would we tell?" Dean spread his hands wide. He had a point, they weren't exactly popular and although I found them sweet as hell, my sentiments weren't shared by the rest of the roster. Stephanie nodded briskly,

"Good."

"Good?" Hunter shot at her tersely, "How exactly is that _good_ Steph? Because while they might not have told anyone, somebody in this company sure as hell seems to know."

Her expression drew in and for the briefest of moments I couldn't tell whether she was confused by his statement or annoyed at having been snapped at in public. In hindsight it was probably both.

"Why do you think that?"

"Steph, did you not hear everything that's happened? Rollins is right. Someone is targeting her and I can't think of a single good reason except for the fact that she's my daughter."

My heart lurched violently and Dean's fingers pressed down on me, sensing it and silently trying to help. What I wanted was to throw my arms around him and have him shut out the insanity that had seemingly become my world. Under the circumstances however – him pretending to be big and scary and my long-last father glaring over the desk – I decided to simply sit there quietly and try my hardest not to cry. It worked pretty well.

"I _heard_ them Hunter," Stephanie bit back at him and – yeah, okay – she was totally pissed, "But I happen to disagree. These things are just unfortunate incidents. Let's think logically about this, okay? What just happened in the parking garage was obviously a driver not paying attention. He causes an accident, worries about his job and then runs off before anyone sees him. We'll find him and we'll fire him. Simple as that. As for the Wyatts, well, we know what they're like and if they're fixated on Lauren then all we do is warn them. We instruct them to stop and back off or be fired."

Seth had deliberately left out the drugging. None of us had wanted to bring that up and as the ferocity continued to rumble around us, I found myself glad we had kept it to ourselves.

"What about the damn cockroaches Steph?"

She shrugged as if the detail were minor and her airiness about it made me feel better about it too. _Huh_. Who would have thought that my wicked stepmother would be the most reassuring person in the room?

"Locker room pranks – hazing the new girl – or maybe it is the Wyatts after all. That's why we warn them to stay far away from her. Hell, we'll warn the whole _company_ if we have to."

Hunter glanced up at her,

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She gazed back at him evenly,

"You know what it means – it means I think our hand has been forced here. Which really only leaves us with one thing to do."

Hunter drew in a levelling breath and although everything seemed suddenly tenser, I had no idea what they were talking about. More worryingly still The Shield had stiffened and if I knew nothing else, then I knew that wasn't good. Without any warning, Dean stepped forward and his tone was solemn,

" _No_ – no way. You can't be for real here. You seriously expect her to go out there _tonight_? It'll be like givin' her to the god damn lions."

Lions? I blinked. Wait a minute, was Stephanie suggesting _introducing_ me? The bottom dropped out of my stomach and I gasped. What had happened to taking things slow? Luckily before I could start to hyperventilate, Hunter shook his head at her,

"Steph, it's too soon."

"So what are the alternatives?" she threw back sharply, "There _are_ none Hunter. I want her safe too. This is the best way that I can think of to do that. Once people know that she's with us, they're not going to touch her. Not one of them would _dare_."

She had a point and clearly knowing it, Hunter glanced across the desk in my direction. Evidently my expression wasn't good because the next thing I knew he had stretched a hand out and placed it softly over my own.

"Do you trust me?"

I blinked. Was that a trick question? What was I supposed to say? If I said _no_ – which was probably the answer – then I was bound to break the big guy's heart, but if I said _yes_ to spare his feelings then he was going to drag me in front of the crowd. It was the literal definition of a no win situation and I floundered helplessly.

"Um – ,"

"Lauren?"

As the awkward silence stretched out in front of us, Dean grew restless on my behalf and once again he stepped forward a little and practically snarled at his two-headed boss,

"This is fuckin' _crazy_."

"I don't remember asking you Ambrose," Hunter snapped warningly, "Watch yourself."

Behind my chair I could feel Dean tensing and for a second I thought he might pick a fight, but then there was a gentle murmuring beyond me and feet on the carpet as Seth and Roman backed him up. Hunter's eyes were still narrowed dangerously and not wanting things to deteriorate any further, I blurted out what I knew he wanted to hear.

"Yes."

He glanced at me in confusion,

"Yes?"

"I trust you," I nodded quickly, "Yes."

There was a momentary pause as we drank in the statement, which was more than a basic declaration of faith. It was consent to be dragged in front of millions of viewers and – oh my god – I was going to be sick. What had I done? I was nuts. I _had_ to be. Behind me I heard Dean exhale a shocked breath and honestly, it made me feel so much worse. I had literally just agreed to the one thing he had never wanted me to do in the first place and although the decision had never been his, I still felt like I had let him down. Hunter on the other hand seemed much more happy and almost borderline _emotional_ as well. The hand that was still wrapped solidly around my own tightened a little and he offered me a smile,

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to," he intoned reassuringly, if not a little late in the game, "All we're going to do is tell people who you are – you don't need to speak, you don't need to act. You just stand there and be yourself, alright?"

In the background Stephanie was already moving and barking out orders into her phone. I nodded in response, feeling disconnected, like I was moving through a dream instead of the real world.

"Is De – ," I blinked, "Are The Shield coming with us?"

Hunter looked up at them,

"For security, yes."

 _That_ was an oddly mixed emotion because on the one hand it meant – thank god – that Dean was coming but on the other it hinted at trouble ahead. Before I got the chance to ask about it however, Stephanie promptly finished her phone call and shot me a smile,

"Okay, they're opening up a slot for us – we need to get over to gorilla now."

 _Now?_

I gaped. It was moving so quickly and the thought of it filled me with instant alarm. Seeing it, Hunter walked around towards me and helped me up gently with one hand on my arm. Once I was back on my feet he stooped and looked me,

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

 _Not really, no_.

Sadly however, Stephanie answered for me and even as she spoke she was crossing the room. Stopping by my side, she drew me in close to her and viewed her husband while rolling her eyes,

"Stop worrying Hunter, of course she's sure. She knows this is the best way to keep herself safe. Besides, she's your daughter – she's going to be a natural. Sweetie, come on."

I let her lead me in a daze from the office, throwing a bewildered look at Dean as we went. His expression was tight and his blue orbs burnt into me, silently checking that I was okay. Was I? No. But there was little I could do about it as Stephanie marched me swiftly through the corridors and into the backstage bustle of gorilla. Heads turned our way as we waltzed in together and across the cluster of headsets and frowns I could just about see Matt staring at me, open mouthed. As Stephanie moved away to deal with the particulars, Hunter stepped up with a microphone in hand.

This was it. It was _genuinely_ happening.

Up to that point it had still seemed like a dream but as the sound of the crowd filtered in through the curtain that hope faded. It wasn't a dream. I also realized – with a violent shudder – that there was very definitely no way out.

As Hunter turned towards the long black drapes, a hand reached out and caught mine from behind. I didn't need to feel the rough surface of the tape to know that it was Dean, I already knew. The realization that he was still there however – and would be there with me through it all – briefly quelled some of my churning apprehension and when the curtain was pulled aside and we were briskly ushered forward, I did as I was told feeling _positive_ again. It lasted until Dean's fingers slid from mine and Hunter led me out.

 _Oh my god, oh my god_.

The moment we emerged into the brightness, Hunter and Stephanie's music hit and I practically jumped at the ear-splitting volume and then swiftly jumped at nearly everything else. The arena seemed to stretch out around us as a sea, consisting of banners and bright cell phone lights. By looking closely it was possible to see faces but at a glance the fans seemed to blend into one, melting down into an ocean of people and all of them moving and swaying around. They were everywhere – as far as my poor eyes could see them – watching us intently and _yeesh_ were they _loud_. I had read about crowd noise sounding like a roar and it had always made sense to describe it that way, but standing in front of them, with their faces turned inwards, made it seem like an audible _explosion_. It was a screaming, braying, whistling cacophony and although at first it seemed like a jumble as Hunter lead us purposefully down the ramp, it became possible to pick out individual voices and calls across the wider sound,

"You _suck_ Hunter,"

"Hey, _Shield_ , you guys are assholes."

"Who's the girl?"

"Steph – _whoo_ – get 'em out."

It would be no exaggeration to describe that walk as the most terrifying experience of my entire little life and even sticking close to Hunter and having Dean a pace behind me didn't much help. By the time we hit the ring I was shaking like a leaf and it only got worse when Hunter stepped away from me, confidently vaulting up onto the apron and leaving me standing, lost on the floor. A gentle tap on my back from Dean guided me discreetly in the direction of the ring steps where Stephanie was waiting with her hand stretched out. I took it and followed her along the narrow apron, silently making deals with myself not to fall.

 _If you do this, I'll go running more often, I'll drink more water, I'll stop snacking before bed._

As Stephanie ducked under the lower of the ropes – which Hunter was holding down with his foot – I copied her and came to a somewhat shaky standstill in the middle of the ring.

In the middle of the crowd.

As the music cut out I could hear the fans more clearly and they sounded both thunderous and _murderous_ as well. If I had ever been in doubt about Steph and Hunter being the bad guys, then the response they were getting made it totally clear. Beneath my feet the ring surface bounced and I looked up to see The Shield swing in as well. Dean made sure to keep himself close to me and although his game face didn't once flicker, the feeling of proximity certainly helped. Nothing was going to happen to me as long as he was there. I fully believed that.

I essentially _had_ to.

"Tonight," Hunter abruptly announced into the microphone and as his voice boomed around us my heart hit my throat, "I have a something very special to share with you."

The crowd noise rose as ten thousand people cheered lustily, thinking that the big reveal was something to do with the show. I winced a little, imaging the jeers when they realized the revelation was about – well – _me_. Stephanie came over and took my hand before smiling at me warmly,

"You're doing great."

In front of us, Hunter continued undaunted, clearly drinking in the catcalls as applause. Whatever worked for him I guess, although it didn't have quite the same effect on me.

"Last week, I was given some news that would change my life and my family forever. I found out something incredibly important and _that_ something was – ," he paused, stretching out the moment and although a large part of me – okay, _all_ of me – wished that would just get on and say it, the rest of me was impressed by how he worked the crowd, "That I was a father."

Whatever reaction I was expecting didn't happen and instead of _boos_ Hunter received a solid, _huh_?

"You see, before I married my wife – the amazing Stephanie," he turned round to look at her and beamed from ear to ear, "I was in a relationship with another woman and unbeknownst to me, that woman had a child."

Turning on the spot he came in closer and gently pulled me away from his wife. Pacing back, he took me with him until we were standing exposed in the very centre of the ring. As I watched him wide-eyed, with my heart in my larynx, he smiled and raised my hand up high,

"I would like you to meet my long-lost daughter. The new woman in my life. _This_ is Lauren."

For the briefest of seconds I couldn't hear the crowd since the noise was drowned out by the whistling in my ears, but gradually as I stood in bewilderment, the mixture of apathy and clapping flooded in. It wasn't very loud but it wasn't vehement either and I assumed it was down to my look of sheer terror that they had collectively decided not to go in too hard. Holding up my one free hand I waved somewhat awkwardly and prayed to the gods that the excruciating moment would soon be done. The second Hunter let go of me I stumbled backwards towards Dean and I was grateful when Stephanie swept back in again and protectively encircled my shoulders with her arm.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Hunter continued and his in-ring personality so was totally different to the behind-the-scenes-guy that I couldn't take it in. It was cocky and arrogant and I wasn't sure I liked it. Although I guessed it was kind of too late for that now, "My two girls. I'm a pretty lucky guy."

I blinked, not sure how I felt about _that_ one although unable to deny that it was nice to be claimed. Not that I was a lost dog or anything, but it felt good be included in a family again.

"So now, I guess there's not a lot left for me to say. I mean, I've introduced my kid, I've let you see my family. Although – now I think about it – there is _one_ other thing and that is to warn every person in this company that to mess with Lauren, is to mess with me. Anyone upsets my kid, singles her out or _touches her_ then they will have worked their last match in this ring. I'll make sure of that, won't I boys?"

Throughout the course of his speech-come-warning, he had been building up to a furious point. His expression had darkened and his eyes had narrowed until he was essentially nothing more than a big angry boss. The last part of the monologue had been directed at The Shield and they nodded enthusiastically and smirked.

 _Oh yeah_.

Glancing up, I could see them blown-up on the big screen and then my eyes then grew wide as I suddenly saw myself. Somewhere a camera was zooming in close on me and I gasped and instantly cast around. Dean edged across a step, blocking the visual and he winked at me reassuringly and in return I almost smiled. If it wasn't for the fact that I was having a heart attack, I might have even giggled. But – you know – _heart attack_.

Around us the crowd continued to stir restlessly and Hunter tossed the microphone away. Clearly the big reveal was over and Stephanie propelled me forward a step,

"See? All over, you were great. Hope it wasn't too much for you to handle?"

I smiled but said nothing, knowing that if I did my voice would break. Never again. I chanted internally. I would never go out in that damn ring again. It was a mantra I kept up as I headed for the ropes and was still repeating as Hunter swung out ahead.

 _Never again, never ever again_.

I had one foot raised when the lights went out suddenly and there was a cheer from around us as the crowd sprang to life. At first I assumed the arena had had a blackout but then I remembered who came out in pitch black. My heart seized up. It had to be Wyatt and as a pair of hands grabbed me from behind I half-screamed. I stopped at the feel of a familiar body and seconds later Dean's voice sounded gruff beside my ear,

"Whoa easy, Lauren it's just me, alright?"

"Dean," I whispered, breathing heavily, "What's going on?"

But before he could answer, the arena lights came on again and left me squinting, not sure what was happening. In my dazed state it took me a second to register that there was something sitting on the edge of the stage and it took me even longer to work out what it was. As soon as I did however, I wished I hadn't because there all alone at the top of the ramp, was the glowing red form of Bray Wyatt's lantern.

 _Uh oh._

What the hell was _that_ supposed to mean?

* * *

 **So, it seems like the Wyatts didn't get the message. Oh and in case you're wondering (which you're probably not, but hey) the next chapter is hands down one of my favourites! See you then...**


	22. Making Waves

**Just gonna say it, I'm super happy with this chapter and I'm stupidly excited for you to all to read it!**

 **ThatGirl54, Welcome back, glad you're all caught up! If you liked that chapter, I think you'll like this one as well (that's what I'm banking on anyway! Fingers crossed!)**

 **Guest, Haha, I assume that's a good yes?**

 **Kayla English, Not in that chapter...but don't rule it out!**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Aww, I'm glad you think he's sweet. As long as he's not too sweet I guess? Well, I figured since it's a pretty crazy world anything could happen, including shoving her on stage!**

 **Psion53, Plenty more to come. And talking of being thrown in at the deep end, this chapter definitely has a watery theme!**

 **Skovko, If you like moving forward, the next few chapters should be right up your street (here's hoping anyway!)**

 **MizHyde, I'm not going to say anything on this one, just read and get back to me...**

* * *

 **Making Waves**

The second the show ended I was hustled away again – literally put on a plane and flown out – meaning that within twenty-four hours of my grand unveiling, I was sat in a hotel room waiting for the House Shows to start. In many ways it was like having déjà vu, except this time instead of obsessing about Dean I was obsessing about Dean _and_ my new-found stardom. One of those things I wanted, one of them I didn't and to narrow that down a touch I _definitely_ wanted Dean.

Naturally the moment the driver had dropped me off, I had dumped my bags and got Kelly on the phone. For once however she had already been caught up with me, since it turned out she and Brent had both been watching for themselves. According to Kelly – with Brent in the background – it was simply to _get to grips_ with my strange new world, although knowing her and her hormonal _compulsions_ , it was safe to say the arm porn helped.

Surprisingly enough – once armed with all the facts – Kelly actually sided with Steph and chalked up the misdeeds up to either bad luck or locker room hazing. Which made me feel good. I mean surely _both_ of them couldn't be wrong, right?

Of course, it still overlooked the whole _eerie lantern_ thing but then that was the Wyatts and they were something else. Before he had packed me onto the plane, Hunter had assured me he would deal with their group – give them a week off to think things through carefully and allow them back when they proved they'd moved on. It seemed pretty simple – _too_ simple come to think of it – but I'd only been there a short time, so what did I know?

In the end the best advice came from Kelly, as it was prone to when the going got tough,

" _Lauren, you're staying at a spa hotel for two days. All expenses paid. Use it, okay? Go get a massage, order a cocktail and for god sakes try to enjoy yourself girl."_

Over the years I had learnt that it was stupid to ignore her and so I had hung up, got changed and done exactly what she'd said. Within thirty minutes of receiving her order, I was up on the roof terrace alongside the pool, stretched on a lounger, watching the sunset and sipping merrily at a large mojito. Around me the place was almost deserted – a combination of dinner time and the middle of the week – and the solitude allowed me to exhale deeply and bit by bit, start to slowly relax.

 _This is the life_.

As I finished my drink with some noisy straw-sucking, a shadow fell over me and I idly glanced up. I had already decided to treat myself to another – because what the hell, I'd had a long week – and so my order was out before I could register who it was,

"Can I get one more of the – ,"

"Princess, I'm not a waiter and I'm kinda fuckin' hurt you think I look like one."

My mouth dropped open in astonishment,

" _Dean_?"

"In the flesh."

"What are you doing here?"

In the time it took him to open his mouth, I was out of my lounger and suckered on tight, my arms wrapped in a firm circle around his neckline and my head buried laughing into his shirt. His hands came round to steady me instantly and he chuckled at my enthusiastic response.

"Missed you too Princess,"

"Are the others here as well?"

"Nope, just me," Dean shook his head and let me slither back down to the floor, "Hunter wanted one of us to come up here and babysit. Keep you out of trouble until the tapin' comes back round. Guess I drew the short straw."

"Oh _really_?" I grinned, "The short straw, huh?"

Dean shrugged casually,

"You know how it is. I mean Roman's got his wife and kid to get back to and Seth's got this super demandin' fiancée. Don't go thinkin' I _wanted_ to be here. Those two _begged_ me – I mean they really begged – and honestly I got so tired of their whinin', I thought I'd just take one for the team."

I bit my lip to stop from grinning as he hammed up his over-the-top excuse. Even as _he_ said it I could see his lips tweaking and so I decided to play along,

"Oh, so _that's_ how it is?"

"They're payin' me to be here."

"Or is it that _you_ can't stay away?"

To emphasize my point, I poked his chest teasingly and in response, Dean smirked and stepped in close. Both my breathing and my temperature spiked as his fingers grazed my arm. It was a movement I liked,

"Princess?" he murmured, leaning in near me and I swallowed down a squeal of excitement,

"Uh huh?"

"There's somethin' I gotta ask you."

"Go on."

 _Oh god._

This was it, he was going to kiss me and I couldn't have been more ready if I'd tried. I had been waiting for what felt like forever to get to do this and finally – _finally_ – the time had arrived. Just as our lips were getting closer however, he smirked at me and stepped back with a playful frown.

 _Ass._

"What's up with the bathin' suit?"

"Um – ," I blinked, " _Huh_?"

Still grinning broadly – proud of his ruse and obviously how easy it was to draw me in – Dean waved a hand to indicate my swimwear and my frazzled brain glanced down and struggled to keep up,

"I thought you were supposed to be scared of the water. Why would you own a bathin' suit if you don't actually swim? Isn't that a little – you know – _redundant_?"

"No," I replied and as I spoke I realized that my towel had slipped almost fully down, giving him a perfect view of my waistline and my legs and my breast shape and I instantly blushed. It wasn't like I was naked as such, but it was definitely the most he'd ever seen of me and so I quickly sat myself back down on the lounger and watched as he rubbed his thumb across his lips. Was it just me or did he look _hungry_? Predictably, I started to flush even more, "Just because I don't like the water, it doesn't mean I don't like being _near_ the stuff. I spent a lot of my teenage years sitting poolside while Kelly made out and flirted with guys. Besides, what am I _meant_ to wear?"

His tongue flickered out to wet his lips and for a second or two he didn't reply. When he finally did look up again however, his mind was somewhere else and he tilted his head,

"Wait here."

"Huh?" I frowned, "What – what does that mean?"

He turned and headed away from me grinning, waving an airy hand as he went,

"It means don't go anywhere – I'll be right back. Order yourself another girly drink."

For a moment I stared after him in puzzled bewilderment before hesitantly deciding to do what he'd said and as the waiter – the _actual_ waiter – sauntered coolly past me, I put in a brand new cocktail request. I had no idea what Ambrose was up to and my heart thumped loudly right up in my head. When the alcohol arrived I took several long sips of it and was still latched on tightly when Dean strode back. He was wearing long trunks and – _holy crap_ – he looked incredible. His chest was multiple types of hot. Chiselled and tanned and smooth and just _beautiful_. I simply couldn't take it all in at once and somewhere in my head I could hear Kelly howling like a lonely wolf in all _kinds_ of heat. It was the first time I had seen his torso since the photo on the airplane and it was even better than I remembered it was.

 _Wow_.

I only recalled it was attached to a person when Dean coughed a little in knowing amusement and I jumped and tried to pretend – unconvincingly – that nothing was wrong.

Nope, nothing at all.

"Are you – ," I paused, "Are you going swimming?"

Grinning he reached over and seized up my hands,

"Not on my own," he answered briskly, "You're comin' with me. I'm re-teachin' you to swim."

 _Um, what?_

I blinked.

Yeah, that wasn't happening although it didn't stop an icy dread from flowing through my veins,

"What? N–no, Dean, I _can't_."

" _Sssh_ ," he soothed, pulling me up gently and not stopping until I was standing on wildly shaking feet, "It's gonna be fine. Remember what I told you? You really think I'd let anythin' happen to you?"

His head was hanging in close to me again and I took a deep breath and leaned into his chest. In my mind I could see visions from when I was eleven and I could _feel_ the black water rush around my face. I was so lost in memories that I didn't even register Dean moving us closer and closer to the edge. I opened my eyes to the sight of lapping waters and my heart promptly exploded straight out of my ribs. Sure, it was only the shallow end of a swimming pool but to me it might as well have been the Mariana Trench.

"Dean – ," I whimpered, gripping him tightly and he reached up to tuck me under the chin.

"Easy Lauren, I promise, I've got you. We're gonna take it slow, alright?"

For reasons that I didn't fully register, I chose to nod instead of pull back. Over the years there had been numerous attempts to try and get me swimming again and every single one of them had failed. Kelly had tried, my ex-boyfriend had tried, my mom had tried, I'd even taken lessons. With Dean however it somehow felt different and whether through trust or not wanting to disappoint him, I simply swallowed and watched him step back. The crystal water whooshed in around his ankles and my chest tightened fiercely as I sucked in a breath,

"See?" he offered, "Nothin' to it. Water's shallow – like steppin' in a bath."

He pulled me towards him and I went with it shaking, shutting my eyes as the water rushed in. It was warmer than I had expected and that chased off the panic. Very, very briefly at least. When I looked down I was standing ankle-deep already and promptly my poor shaking knees almost went. Dean's hand moved against my waist to steady me while the other wrapped fingers tightly around mine.

"Easy Lauren, you're doin' fine."

I shook my head wildly,

"No Dean – please, I _can't_ – ,"

"Hey, look at me. You got this alright? I mean, hell, last night you were on live television in front of millions of people around the world. You never thought you'd do _that_ , right? You need to give yourself a lil' here credit Lauren. You can do any fuckin' thing you want."

I closed my eyes and focused on his hand, resting warm and safe against my hip,

"No, I can't," I mumbled sadly then started as he suddenly leaned in close,

"Yes you can, now open your eyes."

I did as he said then let out a gasp.

All the while that I'd been listening to him soothe me and been lost in the heat and security of his hands, Dean had been gradually walking us deeper and the water was practically up to my waist.

 _Oh god, oh no, oh no, no, no –_

In sudden blind panic I surged in towards him and he wrapped me up without question in his arms. For a second we said nothing and he simply stroked my hair back and made gentle _shushing_ noises,

"I've got you. You're alright."

It took at least a minute for me to believe him but bit by bit I started to calm down. The feeling of the water against my waist was warming and it didn't seem so very scary anymore. Relaxing my arms, I pulled away from him a little and he looked at me closely,

"Hey, you good?"

"I – ," I shook my head at him somewhat blankly, "I haven't been this deep in years."

"Wanna go deeper?"

"I'm not sure I can,"

"You didn't think you'd get _this_ far but you're here. You got this Lauren, I fuckin' know you do."

The fact he was using my name and not my nickname made everything feel strangely _intimate_ and close. I wanted Dean to keep on being proud of me and more than that, I knew he'd keep me safe.

"O-okay."

"Okay?"

I nodded hesitantly and Dean resumed slowly walking us back. The water lapped in around my stomach and I clamped my eyes shut but still didn't panic.

I was _doing it._

For the first time in years I was in genuine deep water although as my feet left the bottom it all suddenly went wrong. A bolt of terror laced right the way through me as visions of drowning tore through my head. My whole body stiffened and the breath billowed out of me almost like I'd taken a hit to the gut. Noticing the shift, Dean instantly stopped moving and I could hear his concern although I couldn't really see. My vision was crowded with stars and bright flashes and I could only pray that I didn't pass out,

"Lauren? Hey – you alright? Talk to me. Come on baby. What's goin' on?"

If I hadn't been so busy royally freaking then I might have died slightly at him calling me _baby_. As it was however I couldn't do a whole lot other than frantically drag oxygen in. I was desperately trying to keep myself calm and failing with every heartbeat.

I was utterly screwed.

What I was _not_ expecting was Dean's sudden kiss, his lips swooping in from out of the dark and pressing themselves hard and wet against mine. In a moment, everything around me vanished, including both the water and the alarm. All I was aware of – all I could _feel_ – was Dean kissing me and his breath on my face. The fireworks which had been erupting since the moment I'd met him, turned into an entire _detonation_ of flares. It was like someone had set light to the whole damn factory and they were bursting above me.

 _God_ it felt good.

For Dean's part the contact was hungry but chaste and in the end it was me who deepened the kiss, placing my hands on either side of his face and flicking the tip of my tongue across his lips. I was asking for access and he instantly gave it creating easily the most passionate embrace of my life. It only got better when his hand cupped my ass and he pulled me in close like he didn't want to let me go. As we came up for air, my teeth tugged his lip and he groaned a little as we floated, panting.

 _Yes._

His blue eyes were hazy and totally electric and he _almost_ looked borderline flushed himself,

" _Fuck_ ," he breathed, "That was better than last time."

"Last time?"

"When you were roofied,"

I gaped at him,

" _What?_ I – I _kissed_ you?"

"Believe me," he grinned, moving his brows teasingly, "You tried to do a whole _lot_ more than that."

"So in the car when you said – when you said I _grabbed_ you – that really happened?"

"Sure did."

"Oh god,"

"Lauren – ," Dean grinned at me in obvious amusement as I dropped my head down into my hand. My other arm was wound around his neck for security and his hands held my waist firm, "Lauren – ,"

"Oh _god_."

"Lauren," he tried again, leaning in closer and his wet hair tickled against my ear, "Look down."

Somewhat hesitantly, I did.

 _Holy crap_.

Somehow during our make-out session, Dean had moved us into the deep end and rather than standing with his feet on the bottom, was calmly treading water and holding me up. I stiffened instantly and my nails dug in tighter. If he let go of me now, I was definitely gone.

"Want to know why I kissed you just then?" he asked conversationally, sensing me freak. It was a pretty good opener, I had to admit it and I looked at him uncertainly,

"Because I was going to get us drowned?"

My heart was still pounding and he put a hand across it, as if he could slow it down through mere touch alone. If anything it made it beat even faster but this time it wasn't out of alarm.

"Because I fuckin' _wanted_ to Lauren. Have done since you dragged your case into the rental place. I wanted to kiss you when we were ridin' together, I wanted to kiss you when we were sharin' a hotel and I wanted to kiss you when I thought I was leavin' you. I fuckin' wanted to do it this whole time."

It was a pretty passionate and brain-warping revelation and it succeeded in stopping my worrying dead,

"Wait, you – you _did_?" I whispered against him and he lowered his head and placed a kiss on my neckline before adding a second and then a slightly deeper third,

"Trust me, I did."

The warm water sloshed around us like a membrane and despite my fears of a horrible drowning, I couldn't deny that it was actually kind of _hot_ ,

"What about now?" I asked him cautiously, praying silently that he wouldn't break my heart. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer, but I _needed_ to – I had to hear it being said. His head swung up again and his eyes bored into me. His reply was simple,

"I want you even fuckin' more."

Then, before I had time to comprehend it, his lips once again crashed hard into mine. This time the kiss was hungry and lustful and I could feel his need as I leaned against his shorts. In a second the water had gone from my adversary to something sensual and wonderful and warm. I wouldn't have felt confident without Dean there to hold me, but at same time I didn't feel so alarmed. It was a moment I was going to remember forever. Or at least it _would_ have been had we not been joined.

"Evening folks, nice night for a swim, huh?"

We both looked up at the new guy in surprise and although we were clearly in the middle of something, our new swimming buddy didn't much seem to mind. He was a large man, probably somewhere in his fifties and red-faced with limp and badly thinning hair. By the time I registered him, he was already shedding clothing and trying to stamp himself out of his pants. It was a clumsy manoeuvre and not helped by his waistline and the fact he'd been wearing his jeans too tight. His shirt had already been tossed onto a lounger and it exposed a stomach hanging over frayed trunks. Dean growled mildly into my shoulder and I soothed him by running my hand through his hair,

"Want to finish this in my room?" I whispered and he blinked at me in what looked like surprise, "Hey, come on, I might be from a small town but I'm not exactly a nun you know."

Dean grinned at me wolfishly and nipped at my lip and the sensation it gave me shivered down through my toes.

"I'm glad to hear it," he muttered back darkly and then turned to address our new found friend, "Hey, look, the pool's all yours man, just give us a second to get outta your way."

He was already edging us to the side as he spoke, but _new guy_ didn't seem to take the subtle hint.

"No need," he asserted, "There's plenty of room here,"

Then he took off from the side like a sprinter and pulled his round body into a tight cannonball. Dean could see what was coming before I could and he murmured _shit_ and pulled me in close. As the newcomer hit the surface the calm water erupted and formed into a violent sequence of peaks. They swept towards us and almost ducked us under and I gasped as it washed right over my face. By the time it receded I was straight back to panicking and coughing and shaking as Dean held me tight,

"Lauren," he murmured, stroking my hair back, "Lauren, _sssh_ , I've got you – you're alright."

There was a _whoo_ from beside us as the cannonball surfaced and he beamed in our direction, clearly pleased with his dive.

"Water's good and warm, huh?"

Dean snarled back at him,

"What the fuck is your problem man? You think you're funny? She's scared of the water."

The new guy glanced across at me and on seeing my expression, his face quickly fell,

"Oh, wow, I'm sorry – I didn't know."

"You're not fuckin' sorry," Dean spat back fiercely, "You're a fuckin' _asshole_ , that's what you are."

As his anger soared from pissed to semi-murderous, I held him close and ducked down my head,

"Dean," I whispered, still shaking slightly, "Please – _please_ – I just want to get out."

My plaintive tones drew back his attention and he glanced at my face and then gave a little nod. His head dipped down to peck my lips lightly and then he swam us across to the side of the pool. In one fluid motion he lifted me from the water and sat me on the edge before hauling himself out. For a moment he disappeared but then he was back again, covering me gently in the folds of my towel.

"I'm sorry," he grumbled, pulling me upright and then wrapping me protectively against his dripping chest. My fingers ran over his abs almost absently and I breathed him in deeply,

"It's okay, I'm alright."

Placing a kiss on my forehead he sighed heavily and then laced his fingers through my hand,

"Come on Princess let's get the fuck outta here, before I do somethin' to that guy I'll regret."

* * *

 **Finally! I know I dragged it out forever, but they've finally told each other how they feel. Hope you guys felt it was worth the wait. The next chapter continues on from this point, see you there...**


	23. Making Love

**So this one follows directly from the last one and as the title suggests, this is where the adult rating kicks in. Hope you enjoy the developing relationship and I also hope this was worth the 20+ chapter wait.**

 **MizHyde, In this one he** _ **definitely**_ **gets down to business! Hope you like this one as much as the last.**

 **Psion53, You are allowed to say about time! And don't worry, Dean soon gets over his bad mood!**

 **Kayla English, Aww, so glad you liked it!**

 **ThatGirl54, Thank you! Are you ready for things to develop a little more?**

 **IcePrincess1987, Thanks for being patient with it! Although I like to think that dragging it out a little makes you guys (and Dean for that matter) want something to happen even more! Anyway, no more waiting, they can't stall now!**

 **Skovko, RIGHT!**

* * *

 **Making Love**

Dean's bad mood continued into the elevator, where he stood against the handrail glowering hard. He had an arm draped sweetly round my shoulders but despite the gesture I could tell he was cross. Mostly I guessed he was frustrated at himself for promising to keep me safe and not delivering on that. To my mind however that wasn't the case. He had protected me – he had allowed me to swim and my entire body was buzzing with pride.

Of course there was the _other_ thing he'd done – namely kissing me and telling me he wanted me – that kind of added to the buzzing as well.

 _Oh my god_.

I screamed inside my head.

Dean was actually, totally into me. The man of my dreams had a thing for me as well. I felt like a schoolgirl or – no – I felt _awakened_ and the only thing dampening it was Dean's sour face. I wanted to change that but wasn't sure how to. The problem was I didn't know him that well. Or at least not well enough to handle his anger. It wasn't that I was scared of him – that much I knew – but beyond that fact everything else was brand new to me and I was clueless as to what would snap him out of his funk.

The thing that I eventually settled upon was so far removed from what I would normally have done, that at first I dismissed it as the alcohol talking, or adrenaline from having confronted getting drowned. Truthfully however, I was driven by lustfulness and so taking a deep breath I turned in towards him and reached up on my tiptoes to press my lips against his. Instantly his hands moved down to support me and steady me gently, either side of my hips. When he was distracted, that's when I moved and for the second time that week – apparently – I grabbed his junk.

" _Fuck_."

Dean's head snapped back in sudden astonishment and as it banged against the elevator, I covered my mouth,

"What?" I giggled, "Is there a problem?"

"You're really not a typical small town girl are you?"

"Who says I'm not?"

Stooping down he captured my lips and his arms laced round me to pull me in tight. I stayed close against him when we broke apart for air again, circling his skin with the tip of my thumb.

"Offer's still open," I whispered shyly, "If you want to finish off what we started back there."

The silence that followed my suggestion nearly broke me and my mind lurched in horror. Had I taken it too far? Had I naively assumed that he wanted to sleep with me? Had he lied to get me into the pool? Either sensing my panic or else simply by chance, Dean bent closer and kissed along my jaw, flipping me around so my back was to his chest and sweeping my hair aside to kiss along my nape.

"Sure that's what you want Lauren?"

I nodded,

"Mmhmm, you?"

"I think you already _know_ what I want,"

The growl he finished with was almost too sexy and my stomach tightened along with everything beneath. As his teeth clipped my neck I squirmed away and giggled, just in time to hear the elevator ping. We both looked up at the sound of the doors opening and in strolled a family, complete with little kids. At once we cleared our throats and stood up a little straighter but the father's even glance told us he already knew. Dean's arms were wrapped in super tight around me and my heavy blush was almost a story in itself.

The smallest of the children – a tiny little girl, with her hair in pigtails and tied with pink bows – looked up at Dean with big green eyes and he glanced down at her and winked in return. Almost at once she looked away shyly, ducking her face into her shoulder to hide. The very next second however she was staring back at him and her utter fascination made me grin. Was there a woman alive who could resist him? When the mother cottoned on and smiled up towards him, I realized again that the answer was _no_.

As it turned out we were all on the same floor which meant trudging beside them somewhat uncomfortably before stopping in the corridor, practically side by side. Evidently they were in the room next to my one and as we got out our key card the father looked up.

 _Please you guys –_ his expression seemed to beg us – _don't wake up the kids, alright?_

I blushed a little and then Dean swung the door wide and pulled me in behind him and banged it firmly shut. In an instant our lips were again locked together and we slammed against the door with an unsteady thud.

Clearly after a more than a week of no touching we were both pretty keen to make up for lost time. Our tongues collided and curled round each other like they were pieces of a puzzle – they just seemed to fit – and as the kiss began to grow deeper and stronger, Dean's hands slid down once again to my ass. My own hands were digging tight into his shoulders and as we came up for breath I dragged my nails across his skin. It was only a light touch – not enough to leave scratches – but his body seemed to judder and he pulled me in close.

"Time we got you out of this swimsuit," he panted breathlessly into my ear and before I even knew what was happening, he'd hitched me up and was carrying me. My legs wound round him and I let him walk me backwards until we both hit the bed with a semi-clumsy crash. We flopped down against it with some pretty heavy bouncing and I let out a squeal and then a little giggle as Dean landed on his forearms and trapped me underneath. He was grinning as he ducked in his head again to kiss me and I nipped my teeth against the bottom of his lip,

"Fuck," he groaned – his word of the moment, "You don't know what you're doin' to me."

Slipping a hand beneath my back, Dean sat up and brought me along with him, our lips still meshed to one another desperately as his free hand started to ease down my straps. His touch was gentle as it brushed across my shoulders and I trembled beneath him,

"Easy," he replied,

"Dean," I murmured breathlessly, "I want you."

"Steady baby, one step at a time."

He peeled my swimsuit over my breasts carefully and then lowered me back down onto the bed. Only an hour earlier I had been totally worried about Dean seeing me dressed in only poolside clothes, now suddenly here I was almost naked and I didn't even care one little bit. That was the magic of Dean freakin' Ambrose. I was far too turned on to stress about how I looked.

For a second Dean sat and simply stared down at me, then he moved both hands to gently cup my breasts,

"You're fuckin' perfect," he groaned at me, smirking before lowering his head towards my bare chest. I tensed my body as I tried to prepare for it, but the feeling of his hot tongue flicking my nipple made me hiss and almost jump clean off the bed,

"You like that?" he grinned and I nodded at him mutely, too breathless to form the right words to reply. Chuckling Dean repeated the action before lightly sucking my stiff nipple between his lips and making me feel so completely ecstatic that I actually curled my toes in delight. Without even pausing he moved to the other one, "Can't have favourites now, wouldn't be right."

My head spun wildly. I was officially in heaven and to show my appreciation I dragged my fingers through his hair,

"So – so good, please don't stop,"

Once he was finished using his tongue he began to kiss the space between my breasts, tracing a line of kisses down my ribcage and continuing right on over my navel as well. I giggled as his nose rubbed lovingly across my skin and he gripped my hips lightly and grinned at me,

"Ticklish? Oh yeah, that's _very_ good to know."

"Don't you dare," I panted out breathlessly, but it was too late as he continued to place his lips on my skin, blowing gently and grinning like a devil as I squealed and giggled and tried to wriggle out. His hands held my hips firmly, stopping me from moving and I covered my face with my hands,

"Dean, stop."

He did, but only to peel down my swimsuit and I helped him by lifting my pelvis in the air. In one smooth movement he had it over my lower body and was dragging the wet garment free of my legs. I wasn't entirely sure where it landed and honestly I didn't much care as the very next moment Dean's hands were on my kneecaps and he was gently pushing apart my legs.

"Oh Princess, is there anything about you that isn't fuckin' perfect?"

I swallowed in apprehension as he lowered his head, my answer coming out as a powerless stutter _._ This was brand new territory for me. No past relationships had involved this kind of thing and I had no idea if I would like his tongue _down there_. As it turned out however, I should never have doubted him, because I liked the sensation a _hell_ of a lot. As the tip of his tongue flashed over my sweet spot I threw back my head and my whole body shook. It felt like a bolt of electricity had charged through me and left every last nerve ending tingling as well. I was barely over the effects of the first touch when he ducked back again with a second, then a third. My hips bucked entirely of their own volition and I groaned out loudly and screwed shut my eyes.

Fortunately, Dean took that as a sign to continue and the next wet taps came out constant and strong. Without any warning my body began to quiver and spasms of activity jolted through my limbs. I wasn't speaking, I couldn't get words out and instead I was forced to pant and moan along. My body was building to a frantic crescendo and I finally came with a stuttering gasp. My muscles tensed and contracted inside me and I relaxed against the bedsheets, feeling totally undone. I was aware of the mattress moving beneath me and when I looked up, Dean was leaning in close, propped up easily on his sizeable forearms and grinning with pride at what he had done.

"Marks out of ten?"

"Eleven," I whispered and he grinned even wider and caught my lips with his own. Pressed up against me, I could feel his own need as it strained against the material of his shorts and I lowered a hand and rubbed at it gently, making him moan and drop his head into my neck, "Your turn now. I want you Dean,"

He sucked in a breath and his lips brushed my skin,

"Not tonight Princess, I haven't brought the goods. Can't _do the deed_ without protection, y'know. Knockin' up the boss' daughter ain't great for my career."

"Oh," I murmured back, then suddenly shot up,

" _Whoa_ ,"

My sudden change of position had nearly knocked him clean off me and he sat up abruptly as I scrambled out of bed,

"Hang on, I've got one – I've actually got one,"

Dean blinked at me,

"Wait, _you_ have one?"

Falling to my knees I unzipped my case and started to fumble through my clothing with shaking hands. Where the hell was it? Come on, _come on_.

"Kelly gave it to me before I left in case I met a _hot wrestler_ or something. I mean, I'm pretty sure she meant it as a joke or whatever but – _ugh_ – where is it? Oh, I put it in my purse."

Standing up I sprinted to my handbag where I started ripping out tissues and receipts. My trusty bag had everything in it – from lipsticks to tampons – but _not_ my damn purse.

"Oh god," I groaned, "Where did I put it?"

Behind me Dean cleared his throat and coughed,

"Lauren?"

I ignored him,

"It must be here somewhere – I gave the driver a tip. Did I leave it in the lobby?"

"Lauren – ," he tried again,

"Maybe my jacket pocket – ,"

" _Lauren, hey_."

At the sound of Dean's shout I stopped and looked round then promptly inhaled at the scene I saw. Dean was knelt fully naked on the mattress, ready for action, condom in place. I blinked at him in total astonishment, not sure what to say and he smirked and waved my purse,

"Think I found it,"

I nodded,

"Uh huh."

Suddenly I felt couldn't help but feel timid. He was a freakin' _sex god_ of a man. Why in the world would someone like him ever be interested in someone like me? God how I wanted him. I wanted him _in_ me. The emotions ran fast and they poured through my head like water from a fountain – too fast to figure out.

"Lauren?" Dean asked, frowning at me warily, "You okay? You still wanna do this thing?"

I nodded in a daze – my answer was _hell yes_ – and I crossed back towards the bed, giggling softly as he snagged my arm and pulled me down on top of him. Again our lips came crashing together and the passion of the kiss chased my latent fears away. No one had ever held me like he did and no one had ever made me feel so safe. Pulling me close to him, Dean rolled us over until he was hovering above me, the blue orbs gazing down. Willingly – happily – I dropped my legs apart for him and he settled in over me, bending in for another kiss,

"You ready?"

I _hummed_ and reached up absently to slide my hands across his abs. In response he carefully started to ease into me, stopping as I gasped and letting me adjust. All the while I did he was kissing my neckline, running his nose up and over my jaw, sucking my skin into gentle little love bites which made me shiver and want to cry out for more.

"Dean," I whispered, as he slid fully into me, wanting and needing him so much I couldn't talk, "Please – I can't – I want – ,"

I shuddered and he pecked me on the lips and started slowly moving,

" _Sssh_."

With my sweet spot still tender from its earlier indulgence, each stroke he issued made me cry out in pure bliss. Almost at once my body started buzzing and a powerless sensation rose up from my core. My fingers curled in around Dean's neck instinctively, bringing him close for a needy little hug. My breathing fell away to a series of gasps and my back arched up and then down on its own. The slow build to my release was delicious and potent and I didn't want any single part of it to end.

Above me, Dean was breathing deeply and occasionally grunting as he pressed his mouth to mine. His thrusts grew stronger and faster as he got closer and in response I found myself getting ecstatically loud. It was strange, I had never been a noisy love maker but something about Dean made me just want to sing. My appreciation stuttered out as a series of tiny little yelps and as I reached the edge it turned into a scream, although Dean reached a hand up and clamped it over me, attempting to muffle some of my release. Surprisingly it sent added pleasure waves through me and I dropped back my shoulders, utterly worn-out. Dean was right there, coming seconds later and as his forearms buckled he dropped down on top.

 _Wow_.

"Sorry for flippin' the mute switch on you there Princess," he mumbled after a second or two, "Didn't want to wake up the kids. Hope it didn't, like, _freak you out_?"

"No," I whispered, playing with his hair, "Actually I – I kind of liked it to tell the truth."

Dean groaned deeply and pushed himself up again, resting on his forearms to peer down at me. His hand reached out and stroked across my cheek and his eyes shone brightly,

"Fuck don't say things like that. I already thought you were practically perfect, but if you're into that shit I won't believe you're real."

I reached up and captured his lips,

"I'm real."

Easing himself out of me as carefully as possible, Dean swiftly turned and rolled off the bed, disposing the evidence safely in the bathroom before coming back out and leaning up against the frame.

For a minute I thought he was going to leave, or pretend that nothing had happened at all. In my old relationship that was how we did it. We had sex and then moved on to whatever the next thing was – bills or cooking dinner or ironing his work shirts. It was just the way my ex-boyfriend had always done things and I had no idea if the same was true of Dean. It was the reason my heart leapt as he came back towards me and lifted the sheets before sliding himself in. Shuffling backwards he made a big space for me and patted it gently,

"You joinin' me or what?"

I grinned and scrambled over his legs before dropping myself down onto the mattress beside him and feeling him press the covers around. Reaching a hand out, he pulled me against him and I pressed my back up close to his chest. His arms wound around me, holding me tightly and his head dropped onto the pillow with a sigh. I had literally never felt so contented and my eyes dropped heavily as exhaustion crept in,

"Dean?"

" _Hmm_?"

"Thank you,"

"For what?"

I yawned and snuggled down a little more,

"For trying to teach how me to swim."

He chuckled and placed a sluggish kiss on my shoulder and I felt myself nearly melt physically _into_ him. I wasn't entirely sure that was possible, but I wanted it desperately.

"Anytime."

"You mean that?"

"Course I fuckin' do. I'm lost in you Princess, can't fuckin' help it."

"I'm lost in you too."

They were pretty weighty sentiments and they made me grin happily but not even they could chase the weariness away, because the next thing I knew the darkness had claimed us and we had fallen into a deep and blissfully tangled sleep.

* * *

 **Hope that got everyone's pulse good and racing, there's plenty more where that came from!**


	24. Mad About The Boy

**So, the morning after the night before (again). Thank you for all of your lovely comments. I'm so glad you like them finally hooking up. A little bit more of that in this one and just generally cute stuff. I like this one.**

 **Skovko, Awkwardness is underrated! Although probably not the** _ **best**_ **time for it!**

 **Ficfan60, Hello! Glad you're liking it so far and don't worry, there's a lot more Lauren-ness to come (that's a word now by the way, just go with it!)**

 **Psion53, Little bit of kink is always good and as you'll see in this chapter coming, he's not the only one with moves!**

 **ThatGirl54, Oooh, perfect is good! Thank you for saying that. I hope you like this one too!**

 **MizHyde, Yeah, well, the intention is to** _ **not**_ **let Hunter find out...how long do you think that's going to last?**

 **Ambrose-kohli-girl, Welcome to the party! You read them all in one sitting? Wow, that's a real compliment. Thank you so much. Plenty more on the way!**

 **Labinnacslove, Aww, thank you. I had such a great time writing this story and I'm ridiculously glad other people are enjoying it too!**

* * *

 **Mad About The Boy**

I woke in the morning – having slept like a baby – to the sensation of someone pressing kisses to my lips and rubbing the tip of their nose against my cheek. It took me a second to realize it who it was and then a second or two more to remember what we'd done. As memories of last night came flooding back to me – along with some of the sensations as well – I couldn't help but smile a little,

"Lauren?"

" _Mmm_?" I mumbled sleepily, stubbornly refusing to open my eyes,

"I'm hittin' the shower – you wanna come join me?"

" _Mmm_ ," I agreed with him, nodding unconvincingly and Dean chuckled and gave me another gentle kiss,

"Not a mornin' person are you Princess? You stay here then. I'll be right back."

I assume I must have fallen back to sleep again because when I came round the shower was on. The space beside me on the bed was still warm but the room felt colder without Dean there. Flipping over onto my back I smiled up at the ceiling and heaved out a sigh. I couldn't wait to tell Kelly about this one. I couldn't wait to tell _everyone_. Not that I would of course, because firstly I wasn't like that and secondly my father just happened to be the boss – the boss who had publicly warned the whole roster not to touch me, not briefly, not ever, not even once. I was pretty sure that also meant Dean.

 _Dean._

As my thoughts drifted back to the night before, my toes curled up and I giggled like a child. It had been without question the best sex of my life. It felt like until that point I had been simply treading water and now I knew how good it could be. He had literally left no spot uncharted and I had been completely and utterly spoilt. In fact I hadn't given Dean _any_ attention and as the sound of the shower whirred in the bathroom, I rolled out of bed keen to even up the score.

It was strange but even in my long-term relationship, I hadn't been the one to initiate sex. That had been my boyfriend's job and since it had always been plain and pretty functional, I had never seen the need in encouraging him to do it more. We had never done it twice in one night, or the morning after, or – for that matter – nearly in a pool. Now however, it seemed new and exciting and I wanted the contact like never before. I might have been a small town girl, but I had a few tricks I had honed through the years and letting myself into the bathroom in silence, I crossed to the shower determined to show them off. The sight of Dean's naked body took my breath away and I lingered simply staring at his ass. I wasn't really sure at what point I'd become a pervert but I was honestly okay with that and – _oh god_ _that little waist_. Sliding the door back, I watched him spin round and his brows quirked up on seeing me,

"Mornin' Princess. Joinin' me after all?"

He reached his hands out to pull me in close, but I kept him at arms length, eyeing him steadily. His brow drew in a little in confusion until I slowly began to drop down to my knees. In a second he understood and his eyes widened lustily as he let out a half-amused sounding groan,

"That's it – fuck – no way are you real,"

I giggled mildly and then focused on him, rubbing my hands along the insides of his thighs. The cascading water made the motion easy and I gently dug my nails in too. As Dean dropped his head back against the shower wall and the droplets began to splash down onto my face, I leaned in and kissed where my nails had tracked and then moved to place my lips against what was quickly getting stiff. His body seemed to quiver and I smiled a little. Clearly he hadn't been expecting _that_. With the beads of water hitting my back and creating the sensation of being massaged, I reached up gently and placed my hand around him, silkily rubbing my fingers up and down. Dean's stomach heaved as his breathing sputtered and he shuddered as I dragged my free thumb across his tip,

"Fuck, Lauren – ,"

I grinned at him devilishly, loving his reaction. Never had I felt so empowered before. Dropping my hand I raised my index finger and placed it on the underside of his now hard shaft. I then lowered my mouth around both of them together, sliding my lips agonizingly slowly and feeling Dean press his back flush against the wall. I kept my motions slow and gentle, moving my head and my finger back and forth. Above me Dean occasionally swore and tremored slightly and as I sensed him move closer, I brought my free hand back up, sliding it up and down in time to the motion and taking his ecstasy right to the edge.

"Fuck, Lauren," he murmured, "I'm fuckin' – ,"

Then he broke off with a deep sounding mumble and I pulled away at exact same moment he came. My reflex in itself was pretty impressive, even if I did say so myself. It was like I was some sort sexual goddess, totally in tune with the body of my man.

 _My man._

I liked that.

Really, it was handy we were standing in the shower as it meant that the water could clean him straight off and I smiled to myself as he panted above me.

I _think_ he liked it.

"Get up here now."

The second he could breathe again Dean hauled me upright, pulling me against his firm wet chest. He held on tight like he didn't want to let go of me and then pressed his lips down hungrily onto mine. The kiss was so passionate it made me feel giddy and I stood almost breathless when we finally broke apart,

"What the hell was that for?" he murmured and his face looked awed and gloriously _fucked_ ,

"To say thank you for last night," I shrugged, leaning back into him and tracing a string of absent circles on his chest, "After everything you did for me – well, I mean, _to_ me – I thought you deserved a little bit of love."

"Fuck. You meant what you said about small town girls. Been wastin' my time with big city types."

"Bigger isn't always better."

"Well, unless you're talkin' about me."

Reaching down he gave me another kiss, at the same time cupping my chin with his hand. With the water pouring down I could only half-breathe through it but in the moment I couldn't have cared any less. I never wanted the contact to end and so when it did I felt genuinely bereft. On seeing my expression Dean merely grinned at me and gave me a playful tap on the ass,

"Come on, shower – I'll order us breakfast."

Then with a final kiss he was gone, leaving me pondering my sudden awakening and all the multitude of feelings in between. Truth be told, I _was_ a small town girl but with Dean I felt like I could do anything and that went for in the bedroom as well. I had been with my ex-boyfriend on and off for ten years and at no point had I felt the way I felt about Dean. Love – lust – it all felt so heady and I showered in an actual barely-there daze. By the time I was finished, I felt much fresher and I stepped into the bedroom wrapped in only a towel. Dean was sitting on the bed, fully dressed and when he smiled at me it lit me right up,

"Hey, there she is. Breakfast is served."

In my short – at least I _thought_ it was short – absence, Dean had got room service to bring up a tray. On it was a selection of pastries and coffee and an actual pretty pink carnation in a vase.

"Wow," I sat down on the edge of the mattress, staring at the gesture in total surprise,

"Somethin' wrong?"

I shook my head,

"No, it's just – no one's ever done this for me before."

Dean frowned mildly,

"Got you breakfast in bed? Are you fuckin' kiddin' me?"

"I mean my mom used to bring me up breakfast when I was sick but other than that," I shrugged at him, "Nope."

"Not even your ex?"

"Oh wow, no, not once. He wasn't exactly what you would call _romantic_ ,"

Dean's gaze darkened,

"So what _would_ you call him? Because honestly Lauren, the guy sounds like an asshole. Leavin' you because you wanted to take care of your mom? Major fuckin' dick move right there. I mean, I couldn't help but notice last night – when I went down on you – you were pretty, like, _tense_. It was kinda like you'd never had that before, which I _know_ can't be true because if it is, it's a _waste_."

I clasped my hands together in embarrassment and dropped my head, not sure what to say,

" _Um_ – ,"

"Yep, I figured, the guy's a fuckin' _asshole_. He didn't deserve you, not for a minute."

As he spoke he reached out towards me, coaxing me back across the bed. I went towards him willingly and dropped down against him, with my head tucked in against his neck. His arm wound round me, pulling me closer and I sighed a little, feeling suddenly content.

"It wasn't his fault," I offered up with a shrug, "It's just the way he was I guess. We didn't – I mean, we never _experimented_. He just liked to keep things simple and safe. He was a no frills guy and I thought I was okay with that. You know what? We even had a routine. Eight o'clock Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. That was us."

"You scheduled that shit _in_?"

"Uh huh," I nodded, running circles around his chest with the tip of my pinky, "I guess I just figured that's what everyone did."

"It isn't,"

"Yeah well, thanks, I know that _now_ but – give me a break – I was with him for nearly ten years. After a while it just became normal. I kinda got used to it, I suppose."

"And now?"

I pushed myself back up to look at him and leant in to peck him sweetly on the lips. He let me do it, smiling back lazily and for a second it felt like I was floating on air. I could have _never_ done that sort of thing with Andy. He probably would have run a mile.

"And _now_ I'm glad he broke my elbow. We would probably still be together if he hadn't."

As the words fell out Dean stiffened beneath me and his eyes slid to mine, half-narrowed with rage,

"He _what_?"

I blinked. Had I really not mentioned that? Yeah, great time to bring it up.

"Oh," I blinked before hurrying to correct myself, "I mean, it was an accident, he didn't mean to – ,"

" _What_? What happened?"

"I mean, if you want to talk _technically_ about it, I tripped, so really it wasn't even his fault – ,"

Dean reached up to cup my face carefully, which stopped my half-coherent babbling dead. Beyond the rage there was also trepidation and when he spoke it hard to know which one was winning out,

"Talk to me Princess, what the fuck did he do to you?"

"Nothing intentional, I promise, okay? It was right around the time my mom got sick and I was trying to find a way to make it all work. Remember I told you that Andy and I were moving and getting somewhere together? Well, we'd actually found a place and he'd already put down the very first payment, only then I started to get cold feet – ,"

Dean rolled his eyes,

"You weren't gettin' fuckin' _cold feet_ Lauren, you were busy tryin'a take care of your mom. That's not the same thing as not wantin' to live with him. None of that of that shit was down to you."

"Well," I shrugged, "It was to him and honestly? I mean, I got why he was mad with me. I totally understood it, really I did. One minute he thought we had this big future together and the next thing I'm suddenly staying behind. We actually planned to make it work long-distance – even though I probably knew we weren't right. But we'd been together too long to just give up on it. Or, you know, that's what I _thought_. But then when we were packing his stuff up one morning, we got into this argument and he sort of _pushed_ me back. Anyway, I guess I must have tripped over a box or something and I hit my elbow on the table as I went down. See? I told you it was just an accident."

Dean shook his head,

"No it's fuckin' not. He _pushed_ you Lauren, that's not an accident. That makes the whole thing _his_ fuckin' fault."

"Yeah but he felt _horrible_ about it and besides, it was the thing that made me realize we were done. If he _hadn't_ pushed me then maybe I wouldn't be here. Isn't that a good thing?"

Dean threw me a frown,

"So what you're sayin' here is that I should be fuckin' _grateful_ your asshole ex-boyfriend liked to shove you around?"

"Um," I blinked uncertainly back at him, trying to work out my answer, " _Yes_?"

He shook his head and threw his eyes skywards but there was the tiniest hint of amusement there too and I reached in closer and tugged his lips up, physically forcing them into grin. He snorted and batted my hands off moodily but then pulled me closer and kissed me again,

"Which one?" he murmured as he softly pulled his lips back and I sucked in a breath and tried to think straight,

"Huh?"

"Which one did he break?" he asked again simply and I lifted my right arm and watched him lower his face. Carefully he began to press kisses across my elbow, working his way right up and down the bone.

"Dean," I whispered, sighing, "I – ,"

 _Love you?_

I shut myself up and coughed instead. Luckily the man himself seemed not to notice and as he pushed down my arm he pulled me in close. We sat like that for a couple of minutes, just resting against one another, linking our hands. Eventually he tilted his head a little and studied me closely until I both blushed and frowned,

"What?"

"So where exactly does a girl like you – with a selfish limp dick _asshole_ of a boyfriend – learn to do what you did in the shower? Seriously Princess, you've got some fuckin' moves."

"Oh," I grinned, "That's down to Kelly."

"Please tell me this is some kind of lesbian story?"

"What?" I swatted at him, " _No_ ,"

"Shame."

"Will you listen?" I was trying not to laugh at him, "Stop being pervy."

"I promise nothin',"

 _Well, here goes._

"It was back when I first started dating Andy – I guess I must have been sixteen? Anyway, it was the first thing he wanted me to do to him and I had literally _no clue_ how any of it went. So Kelly and I bought a bunch of magazines – which we had to hide from her mom by the way – and just kind of, read-up until we knew the basics, only Kelly wanted to do _more_ than just read. At some point – and no, I don't know why either – she decided that oral would be her _thing_. So the pair of us made a list of positions and techniques and methods and tips and _stuff_. Then we just pretty much started to go through them and kinda got to know what guys seemed to like. I mean, I only ever tried things out on Andy but Kelly had – _um_ – a whole bunch of friends. I mean, of course _now_ it sounds pretty stupid but I _did_ have a nymphomaniac best friend. Anyway, that's how I learnt how to do that. I read up a lot and then taught myself the rest."

Dean blinked at me and for a second he said nothing – the weight of which slowly began to eat me up – then a smile slid easily across his handsome features and he shook his head mildly,

"That's the best thing I've ever heard. Seriously. I can imagine you ten years ago as a horny little teenager, writin' notes about dick. Did you ace your _oral_ finals? Have a graduation? Did your mom wear a hat and cry with pride?"

" _Dean_ , oh wow, you are so inappropriate. I knew I should never have told you, _ugh_."

"Easy Princess," he leant in closer, pulling my hands from my mortified face, "I'm showin' my appreciation over here, alright? No one – I mean that – _no one_ is more grateful for your dedicated hours of study than me. This mornin'? I gotta tell ya – fuckin' amazin'. Easily the best I've ever had,"

I glanced up at him,

"Really? It was really the best?"

He pecked a kiss to my nose tip,

"Yep, which is how I know you've gotta be hungry. So come on champ, get your strength up."

As he spoke he offered the tray of pastries and I grabbed one and leant against him as I ate. It occurred to me belatedly that I'd missed out on dinner and my stomach gurgled happily at the reemergent food. Dean passed me over a cup of hot coffee and I balanced it carefully on the edge of my towel. I honestly wanted the moment to last forever but there was a dark cloud lingering in the back of my mind and although I didn't want to ruin the happiness, there was a question I desperately needed to ask,

"Hey," I started, "Um, about the Wyatts – ,"

"What about them? Hunter's given them the week off."

"I know," I nodded, "But what about after that? What's going to happen when they get back? What am I meant to do if I see them? I mean, they left their lantern for a reason, right? So what if they don't – you know – _give up_? What do I do if they keep on following me or grab me again or – ,"

"Lauren," Dean sighed, moving my coffee and then shifting until he could look me in the eyes, "You don't have to do anythin', okay? That's my job. _I_ protect you. _I_ keep you safe. I told you before I won't let anythin' happen and I meant it. You trust me?"

I nodded back at him,

"Uh huh."

"Good," Dean leant in and kissed me fiercely and I melted towards him, existing in a dream. When he pulled away he was grinning at me quirkily and he kept his face close as his breath tickled my skin, "Now you'd better hurry up and decide."

I blinked,

"Decide what?"

"Where we're going."

"Where we're – huh?"

"You and me, we're headin' out for the day and because I'm a gentleman, you get to choose where."

My heart skipped a beat in excitement,

"Really?"

He nodded at me,

"Princess, the choice is totally yours – I mean, it _was_ gonna be down to me originally but after you pullin' all the stops out this mornin', I think that means I owe _you_ now. Consider this it. Pick anywhere you wanna go, just make sure there's a pharmacy nearby."

I giggled a little. Ah, yes, protection.

Dean was nothing if not a man with a plan.

In the end I chose the artist quarter and was pleasantly surprised when he actually agreed. Exploring local art was something I had always done and something my mother had readily instilled. Her house back home was crammed with one-off pieces that I doubted anyone else would have ever bought, much less even given a _look_ at before she had come merrily bouncing along.

It was nice to do something normal and simple and even nicer to be able to do it with Dean. I'd tried with Andy on one or two occasions, but he had mostly just talked on his cell. An elephant could have come charging through the market and he would barely have noticing what was going on. Dean on the other hand _engaged_ with the artwork and although he sometimes laughed or muttered _that's crap_ , he was actually involved in what we were doing and talking about it _and_ holding my hand. It felt like we were a regular couple and my heart flipped as I realized that we basically were.

I mean, okay, so not _normal_ normal – he was a cutthroat wresting enforcer and I was being stalked by a hillbilly tribe – but normal in the sense that we were together and happy and _maybe possibly_ even in love.

By the time we got to the hotel I was buzzing. I had literally had the most perfect afternoon. With a supply of condoms safely in his pocket, Dean was keen to get going again and so as we walked across the wide expanse of lobby, we were already locking lips and fumbling with our hands.

"Well, well, well, what have we here then?"

The sound of a voice caught us both by surprise and we looked up sharply, fearing the worst. Fortunately instead of Hunter or Stephanie, we found ourselves face to face with Roman and Seth. The younger of the two was grinning widely while the bigger man was standing, arms folded, behind. I blushed on instinct as Dean rolled his eyes at them.

 _Typical._

Our honeymoon was already over.

One day in and we'd just been caught.

* * *

 **So there you have it - officially together. Now we move into the next phase of our little tale *laughs evilly, but not too evilly so as not to frighten people away*.**


	25. Welcome To The Jungle

**Thanks guys for your continued reviews, still plenty more to come on this little ride.**

 **Moxley Gal1, Haha! Oh, I never thought of that! Still, the notebook hasn't been forgotten!**

 **Psion53, Protective Dean gets to make another outing in this one (yay!)**

 **Missabbylynn, Obsession is good (at least in this case!) I'm so glad you're enjoying it.**

 **Labinnacslove, I really enjoyed writing that last chapter. Sweet Dean is so much fun to pen!**

 **MizHyde, The secret was too good to last - they had to be found out!**

 **Skovko, Yes, yes she is!**

 **ThatGirl54, Aww, hopefully they won't be the only fuzzy feelings you get from the two of them before we're done!**

 **Onwards we go!**

* * *

 **Welcome To The Jungle**

"I can't believe you're dating a wrestler," Kelly gasped across the line for the fourth time in a row, "An actual, genuine, oiled-up _sex god_. Is it okay if I kind of hate you for a while?"

"Totally fine," I responded smugly, turning a corridor in the back of the arena and stopping to lean up against a stack of crates, "In fact I'd actually be hurt if you didn't. You know, what with him being a _sex god_ and all. Should I be weirded out by your obsession with my boyfriend? It really feels like on some level I should."

Mostly however my brain was preoccupied with screaming at calling him _my boyfriend_ at all.

It wasn't a term we'd talked about exactly but since we'd been inseparable for the last couple of days it had kind of become obvious to us both that we were dating and already the relationship had moved pretty fast. Almost from the moment Seth and Roman had discovered us, Dean and I had started sharing a room. Except for at work we were together the _whole_ day and when we weren't dining out, with the guys or sight-seeing we were pretty busy with good old _sexy time_.

 _Sexy Time_ by the way was definitely my term – Dean said it was worse than _doing the deed_.

"So Seth and Roman were really okay with it?"

I nodded,

"Uh huh, they were totally fine. I mean, how could they not be? It's Seth and Roman. They're just freakin' awesome all around. But yeah, there's not been any weirdness whatsoever. Actually they told us they already knew."

Kelly heaved a sigh,

"That doesn't surprise me. Even _I_ could tell you two were mad about each other and I haven't been there. They would've had to be blind."

"It wasn't _that_ obvious."

"Excuse me? It so was."

"Well it can't be because no one else here suspects it."

That was true. If they had I'd have known. If only because Stephanie and Hunter would have known too and probably been on the warpath as a result. It was kind of a balancing act being at work together – trying to steal moments, or a glance or a touch – while at the same time trying to act cold and unemotional. Actually, it was also kind of _hot_ come to think of it, as our last few hotel rooms could easily attest.

"So how has it been after the big _revelation_?" Kelly continued, blissfully unaware, "Are people treating you differently now they know you're the big bad boss' precious kid?"

"You know what? Not really – I mean – maybe at first, but they seem to be over that and having Matty helped. The last two nights he's been on permanent _stink eye_ patrol and if anyone so much as looks at me sideways then he's right there bitching and _wow_ is he loud."

I wasn't kidding about that either – the loud part _or_ the fact that he'd helped. When I had followed The Shield into the House Show on the Friday, I had received more than my fair share of uncertain looks. The last time the backstage crew had seen me, I'd just been a runner. Now Hunter was my dad. Honestly, I probably would have turned and walked straight out again but then Matty had strutted over and given me a hug.

" _Honey_ ," he had whispered into my ear sweetly, " _As far as I'm concerned, you're still just Lauren and I still love you. I've got your back_."

After that all of the tension had ebbed away again and I had happily gotten back to the job I'd grown to love. Kelly however wasn't quite so enthused by it and especially not with Matt's part in my cute redemption tale,

"Well don't go forgetting who your life-long best friend is,"

"Aww, are you jealous?"

"Of course I am," she moaned, "There you are off living the high life, making new friends and having sex with _Mr Arm Porn_ and here _I_ am with swollen ankles and a husband who won't so much as touch me. _Ugh_. I swear I can't wait for this pregnancy to end. I want this thing _out of me_. I'm considering a C-section, no, I'm deadly serious. I'm _dying_ of lack of sex."

I rolled my eyes – she always had been dramatic – but luckily I knew how to handle her decline,

"Yeah, but think about what you'll have when it's over. A tiny little bundle of joy. Not to mention a proud Auntie Lauren to see to her godchild's every last whim."

"You really want to be the godmother don't you?"

"Absolutely. I think I've made that clear."

"I'll swap you the role for a night with your boyfriend."

I wrinkled my nose,

"Okay, that's weird."

The sound of someone coughing semi-awkwardly made me turn round into the corridor with a frown. One of the guys from the production crew was in front of me, with a headset, a clipboard and an apologetic look. Always a totally winning combination and I gazed back uncertainly,

"Uh, excuse me, Lauren Hope? Stephanie needs you right away in gorilla."

I blinked at him in bafflement,

"I – she does?"

"Does what?" Kelly barked, sensing something was happening, "Do I need to turn the TV on? _Brent_. Come here quickly – get me the remote. No I don't know where it is. You had it last."

Clapping a hand across the speaker of my cell phone, I smiled at the headset guy – I didn't know his name – and tried my best notto look completely flustered.

"Yep, okay, be there in a sec."

In the background Kelly was still barking at Brent and _holy cow_ had her hormones gone wild.

"For god sakes I don't _know_ where you put it – can't you do anything? No remote, no oral – ,"

"Kelly," I offered, breaking through her ranting, "I'll call you back later. I've got to go, alright? _Don't_ kill Brent and stop your stressing. Think about the baby."

" _Fine_."

"Love you, bye."

I was gabbling the farewell even as I was walking and ended it as gorilla loomed up into sight. Stephanie was sitting in a chair behind the curtain and on seeing me she instantly sat up and smiled. For that night's tapings Hunter was absent – with Stephanie's father handling business in New York – and although I was a little bit bummed about not seeing him, my relationship with my stepmother had definitely grown.

"Lauren," she beamed, holding her hand out and giving me a squeeze as I came alongside, "Thank god. We've got ourselves a real problem."

"A problem?" I blinked, "Uh, what kind?"

"Ziggler was supposed to go out and do a promo, but he's twisted his ankle and apparently can't walk. There's a segment coming up with nothing to fill it and I'm kind of running out of ideas."

"Oh – wow – okay, how can I help?"

She squeezed my hand again and smiled at me winningly,

"See, I _knew_ you would go for this Lauren. You're totally amazing."

"Um, right, go for _what_?"

The moment she chose not to answer me directly was the point I realized I was in seriously deep shit and that was a feeling that subsequently trebled when she pushed a _microphone_ into my hand.

"Michael is going to take the interview – Michael Cole, the announcer, you know him, right? We'll set up two chairs in the middle of the ring and then just go through some questions. They'll be easy, it's fine. Where you're from and how you're finding it, what your impressions are, that sort of thing."

I shook my head, still struggling with the first bit,

"I – I'm sorry, _interview_? _Out there_?"

"Lauren," Stephanie answered, putting hands on my elbows. I blinked at her dazedly, feeling shell-shocked and she shook me a little until I focused back on her, "You're going to be absolutely _fine_ , alright? You're Hunter's daughter – you've got this in you. Now obviously I can't exactly _force_ you to go out there but if you _can_ then this company will owe you a lot. So will I. Can you do this for me?"

I wasn't entirely sure why I nodded – or even if I actually did – but the next thing I knew Steph was back to beaming broadly and hustling me towards the curtain.

 _Oh god._

"No, I _can't_ – ,"

"Now Michael is under _strict_ instructions not to ask anything you wouldn't want to say, so that means nothing personal or political. Like I said, it's just going to be simple and sweet. Do you need hair and make-up? Oh no, I mean, look at you – you're already practically perfect as it is. Now obviously we don't have any music set up for you, so we're just going to send you out with mine. When it starts, head down the ramp and Michael will be waiting. Don't panic, take a deep breath and most importantly be _yourself_."

The whole time she'd been talking she'd been shuffling me forwards as headset guy checked his watch and counted us down.

"Five, four, three, two, one – ,"

Honestly I mostly still thought I was dreaming. It wasn't real. I mean, how _could_ it be? I was only a runner. She wouldn't ask me to do this. No way would I have to go out there and speak. It was crazy – _crazy_ – and I simply couldn't do it. Was this all some really late _April's Fool_ thing?

"Steph – ," I started, but then the music blasted and she shunted me forwards and yelled commandingly in my ear,

" _Go_."

As a result my first solo entry to the universe took the form of a haphazard lurch and as seven thousand fans reacted to my arrival I stood in the unforgiving lights and stared. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Around me the crowd who had started off booing – assuming from the music that I was going to be Steph – stuttered into uncertain silence and there was a strange sort of stand-off as I tried to catch my breath. No way could I turn and bolt back into gorilla, it would have been more than my paltry life was worth but I wasn't so sure I could move forwards either and so in the end I just sort of _hovered_ for a bit.

As a voice hissed _move_ at me from somewhere behind the curtains, down in the ring I saw Michael Cole stand up. That was my target – he could take the heat off me – and so shakily I half-wobbled, half-sprinted down the ramp. As in, _really_ shakily, I almost crumbled and I doubted I could have looked more awkward if I'd tried. I didn't make eye contact, I didn't look around me and oddly my sheer terror seemed to make the crowd less harsh.

"Get 'em out gorgeous,"

Well, I mean, it could have been worse.

By the time I got to ringside, Michael had moved forward and was pushing down the ropes to let me swing inside. I mounted the steps with my knees badly knocking and clung to the corner post like I owed it my life. As I ducked down low and stepped onto the matting, Michael leant in and caught my hand, giving it a sweet little squeeze of reassurance as he lead me over and got me settled in a chair. My heart was pounded so close against my ribcage that I was worried about it fracturing bones. I could hear it in my ears and I could feel it in my fingertips and my every last sense was trying to work out why I was there. How did I get myself into these situations?

"Lauren," Michael started and I visibly startled but managed not to scream, so that was a plus, "It's good to have you out here this evening."

I nodded and brought my microphone up meekly,

"Uh, _hi_ – I mean – thanks for having me."

I winced as my voice seemed to boom out around me and from across the ring Michael offered me a smile. It seemed to say _you're doing fine kid_ and while we both knew it was a total shame-faced untruth, I appreciated the fact that he cared enough to try.

"Did you expect to be out here tonight?"

"Um, _not really_. I – I mean, five minutes ago I was talking with my friend and now suddenly I'm out here in front of all these _people_."

Around us the crowd had fallen desperately silent and I was filled with a sudden urge to get them on side. My father and stepmother might have been bad – and okay, apparently so was my boyfriend – but I was a born and raised genuine people pleaser and in the moment I needed them to like me _so_ bad. Sadly, the only way I knew how to do that was to bring out the big guns.

 _Ladies and gentlemen, meet chitchat._

"My friend is called Kelly by the way," I waved awkwardly, hoping that I had chosen the relevant cameraman, "She's probably watching. She's – like – _really_ pregnant so she's kind of not moving far from her couch. Plus she's recently become a big fan of wrestling, not because of me, she just mostly likes the arm porn."

As Michael Cole blinked at me in startled bewilderment, I was rewarded with a ripple of amusement from the crowd and it made me settle – just a little – rather than want to break down and cry.

"So we know that you're the daughter of Hunter Hearst Helmsley," Michael ploughed on valiantly, "But other than that, we don't know much about you. What can you tell the WWE Universe about the sort of person Lauren Helmsley is?"

I blinked at him startled.

 _Lauren Helmsley_?

Did I have a ring-name? Whose call was that?

"Uh, I – I don't know. I mean, I'm actually kind of boring – just a regular small town girl. I didn't leave the country until I was fifteen and that was only because we got lost this one time and accidentally drove across the border into Canada, so really I'm not sure – I mean – does that count?"

Again the crowd chuckled and Michael smiled warmly,

"I'm sure it does, but now back to this, how are you finding being involved in the business?"

"Well, it's still all kind of _new_ to me and If I'm honest I don't think I'll ever get over seeing guys walking around in those teeny, tiny shorts – _another_ reason my friend watches by the way – ,"

That brought not only a ripple but real laughter and Michael raised a brow,

"We're learning a lot about this friend."

I blushed and tried to get back to the question,

"I mean, but other than that's it's been – it's been interesting and although I didn't think I'd be doing this part – not that I don't love talking to you obviously – I think I'm kind of starting to get used to it. You know, _aside_ from the whole men-in-tiny-trunks thing."

The more I spoke the more I relaxed into it and while I could never say I felt fully calm, the positive reaction of the crowd had lifted me and I actually started to _enjoy_ my star turn.

"Now what about your relationship with your father Hunter? When it comes to the business we all know he can be ruthless but is that a side of him you ever see?"

I paused as the questions became a little more loaded and tried to imagine what the company line might be. Since I didn't know I just had to go for it and try to answer as tactfully as I could,

"Um, I mean that's also kind of new to me. I don't really know him all that well. But I _do_ know he really cares about the business and I guess that's understandable since it's his life. He's never been hard on me though – the opposite – actually he's always been kind of _sweet_. Maybe I'm not supposed to say that. Should I change it and tell you he's really big and mean? I guess he _will_ be when he hears that answer."

Again I could the hear the crowd start to snicker and I took a deep breath in. It was going okay. So maybe my answers weren't the most polished but at the same time I wasn't being booed out of the place. In fact I was ready for Michael's next question, only his follow-up query never quite came. As I looked up at him, his smile quickly faded and then suddenly the audience was riled again. Before I could even look over my shoulder, Michael bolted upright and away from his chair. With his free hand he beckoned me over towards him and I followed with a frown, my heart beating hard. The next thing I knew, the seats were flung past me and I gasped in surprise and spun on my heel.

 _Huh?_

Two tall men were in the ring watching me and I didn't have a clue who either of them were. One of them – the younger of the two it looked like – was chiselled and glaring beneath short spiky hair. The _other_ one however was wearing full lycra with a gaudily painted black and gold daubed face. The whites of his eyes stood out like beacons and I shivered instinctively at the coldness I could see.

Turning towards Michael for moral support – or answers, or protection or really _anything_ at all – I was startled to find him scrambling ringside and I moved automatically to follow him out. The mat bounced beneath me heavily in response to it and then suddenly the younger man was stood in my way. He did _not_ look friendly and I swallowed and backed up a step, colliding with the chest of his lycra-wearing friend. He leered down at me and his face made me whimper.

Who the hell were they? What did they want?

"We wish we didn't have to do this kid," lycra-guy murmured, half-drowned out by the crowd. As he stepped in closer I tried to back him up again, placing my palms against his broad chest. It was pretty much like trying to push through a wall though and I was helpless to do anything but retreat another a step, "You see, we've got a little message for your father – want to know what that message is?"

I shook my head at them helplessly,

"No, please – ,"

The younger man bumped into me hard from behind again, effectively trapping me directly in between and I hunched my posture and braced myself a little as I slowly started to fear the worst,

"Our message is if the boss wants to mess with our family, then we have no option but to mess with his. Sorry kid, this is how it has to be."

As the painted guy reached out and snatched up my wrist, my stomach flipped over and I yelped in pure fear. The noise was instantly drowned out by the crowd again who had been booing what was happening but were starting to cheer.

" _Whoo_ ," I heard a guy across the barricade bellow before starting to chant out, " _Shield_ , _shield,_ "

Other voices joined in around him, whooping and calling,

"Believe in The Shield,"

I heard the shouts in a muffled haze of noises and for a minute I couldn't work out if they were even real, but then the painted man moved aside in front of me and my heart exploded.

 _Dean was here_.

He was stalking – well actually sprinting – to ringside and his face was dark with an intent that made _me_ quake. Roman and Seth were only paces behind him and I could feel my assailants stiffen at the sight. It felt like there was going to be an unholy battle and I was caught in the middle.

Yeah, not great.

Taking my chances I suddenly bolted and the mat bounced as the painted man tried to haul me back. Luckily however, I moved a lot faster and managed to reach the ropes at the same time as Dean. He hopped up onto the apron and grabbed me two-handed, practically manhandling me out through the gap. I was shaking as my fingers curled in around his biceps but he jumped back down and beckoned me urgently,

"Come on,"

Reaching up he planted his hands on my hip bones and then lifted me down in a single swift turn. Once my feet were earthbound he pulled me quickly into him, making it look like I'd taken a fall. Instead it was simply an excuse to lean close to me and paw my hair worriedly,

"Lauren, you okay?"

I nodded and lifted my head from his shoulder just in time to see the young guy bounce chest first off the ropes. His face was furious and puce with pure emotion and yet I still didn't have the first idea who he was.

"You think you can mess with my family?" he bellowed, " _Nobody_ messes with the Rhodes."

Seth stamped up to stand underneath him, pointing angrily up with his gloves,

"What the hell's wrong with you, huh? Picking on a woman? Why don't you try taking one of us on? What's wrong? Someone who fights back not your type man?"

Rolling his eyes a little, Roman pulled him back again, following as Dean led me backwards up the ramp. I was clinging to his vest like a desperate sucker fish and although for the cameras he glared at my assailants, he was also murmuring words that only I could hear,

"You alright Princess? Hey, I've got you – easy Lauren, it's okay, you're safe."

With the crowd still braying and hollering around us and security swarming the ring en masse, we edged through the curtain back into gorilla where Stephanie was waiting wide-eyed and open-armed.

"Oh my goodness, _Lauren_ ," she gasped, pulling me from Dean and into a hug, "How awful. I don't know how they got in here. Did they hurt you? That was close sweetie. You had me scared."

I extracted myself from her sweater with difficulty, bravely attempting to shake my head,

"N-no, it's okay, I'm not hurt,"

"Lauren, honey, you have to believe me, I had no idea that was going to happen – ,"

"Yeah right,"

We were interrupted by a wry snort from Dean and as the mood swiftly turned from worried to rigid I felt Stephanie tense up bodily,

" _Excuse me_?"

Technically it should have struck fear into his heart – it certainly struck fear into everyone else's – but Dean was working on fury as well and he was not about to be appeased.

"You might not have known that those two were gonna show up, but you must have known _somethin'_ was gonna go down. Everyone here's got beef with your husband and you send his _daughter_ into the ring? All on her own – without any backup. You realize what those bastards were goin' to do to her?"

Stephanie stayed quiet but an eyelid flickered and on seeing it Seth shot forward and grabbed Dean by the arm,

"Whoa, whoa, Ambrose, calm down, huh?"

Stephanie eyed him steady and unblinking. In a former life she had probably been a cobra or some sort of big cat or _possibly_ a shark.

"That's right Dean, do what Rollins tell you because I warn you if you _ever_ talk to me like that again then it won't just be The Rhodes out of this company, it will be you as well – _all of you_ – that clear?"

Dean's tongue flashed out and skirted his lips in a sure fire sign that he was angry as hell. For a second I thought he was going to reply to her – or even worse, flip her the bird – but in the end he offered her a wry little smile and nodded slowly.

"Oh, it's clear."

I remained quiet, my head almost whirring as I repeated his accusation like I had it on a loop.

 _Had_ Stephanie known that something would go wrong tonight? It didn't seem likely but then what part of it did? Suddenly I realized why Dean had tried to ban me from joining the company back when we'd first met. It was nuts, it was crazy, at times it was psychotic.

I was ambling through a very dangerous world.

* * *

 **Okay, okay, I know, I know. The Rhodes are supposed to be the good guys. I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. I just always saw them as really intense and sinister during this period. So, in it went!**

 **Until next time...**


	26. Sweet Soul Music

**So this chapter sort of came out of nowhere and ended up being...well, you'll find out! Don't get me wrong, I actually love it but poor old Hunter. That's all I'll say.**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Kelly actually kinda came about so she just had a sounding board. But I grew to love her too. She's that really feisty friend we kind of all have and wish we were a tiny bit more like sometimes (not always though, just on occasion!)**

 **Labinnacslove, I always felt like I should have had more sympathy for the Rhodes boys, but I just...didn't. Still, worked out for this story, so I suppose I'm grateful for that!**

 **ThatGirl54, She does certainly seem to be stacking up the enemies. That's her reverse kind of superpower I guess!**

 **MizHyde, Aww, glad you're still enjoying it. You've never trusted Stephanie! What's the girl gotta do? (Winky face...and yes, I wrote that instead of drawing it because, hey, I'm a maverick, I roll like that!)**

 **Skovko, Haha, believe it or not, 'sexy times' was already safely written. I had a good laugh when you wrote it though. I was going to mention it but I thought it might spoil things, so I just kind of sat on it and then...voila!**

 **Psion53, Maybe she and Dean should run for the hills together? Become mountain people and set up camp! Hmm, maybe not though - pretty sure the Wyatts would still find her. They'd probably end up on Bray's home turf!**

 **Kayla English, Don't worry, there's plenty more of Stephanie to come.** _ **Plenty**_ **. Hunter's reaction's in this one as well (sort of) but he doesn't exactly get her full attention…intrigued? I hope so!**

 **Moxley Gal1, If I hadn't already written this story, I might have done that, but I'm working on some potential odds and sequels and - well - let's just say the notebook comes up again!**

 **Onwards and upwards (euphemism alert!)**

* * *

 **Sweet Soul Music**

The next morning when the guys came back from the gym, the four of us convened around the pool. After my first abortive swimming lesson, Dean and I had tried a couple times more and although I preferred to stay down in the shallow end, I was now just about happy enough to be there to be on my own.

Since the night before and my run-in with the Rhodes boys – which was who I had subsequently discovered they were – Dean had been reluctant to leave me for a moment and although I was touched by his obvious concern for me the proximity had not helped his anger one bit.

"I swear to god I'll break their fuckin' legs,"

"Dean," Seth sighed somewhat wearily from his lounger, "Give it up man. Stephanie had them thrown out. If they come back, _security_ will break their legs, so you don't actually need to do shit."

Evidently however, Dean wasn't listening,

"I'll hunt them down and take them out. Couldn't be that hard to find 'em, right? Track down a middle aged guy who wears a gold body suit? _Then_ I'll break their fuckin' legs."

"Hey – ,"

When not even Roman could get Dean to respond to him, I took a deep breath and waded further out. The feeling of the water moving up my body frightened me but I bit my lip and focused on my goal. By the time I reached the spot where Dean was paddling, my body was being wracked by spasms of alarm and as I coughed out a tiny mouthful of water, he suddenly clued into it and dragged me into his arms,

"Whoa, hey, what are you doing?"

"Coming to – ," I spluttered, "Calm you down."

Pulling me close to him, he lifted me above the waterline, letting me drape my arms around his neck. Wrapped up together I could feel his body loosen and when I leant in to kiss him the tension ebbed away.

"Geez," Seth smirked, "Can we get you on call when for we lose a match and he starts tearing up the locker room?"

In response Dean simply flipped him a finger and from where he was sitting with his feet in the water, I heard Roman react with a throaty sounding laugh. When I broke the kiss I kept my hands on Dean's face and stared down at him soothingly,

"Better?"

He sighed,

"No. They scared you Lauren, they put their hands on you. That's not okay. _I'm_ not okay and I won't be until I've put them both in the ground."

I kissed him again and he groaned a little before deepening the contact to nip at my lip.

"You guys do realize that me and Roman are still here right?" Seth put in with amusement from above, "Plus – you know – kids use that pool so you might want to kind of _dial it down_ a notch."

Dean broke away from me grinning,

"Like this?"

Then promptly his hands slid down to my ass while his lips began to gently suck my jawline. As I giggled at the – frankly – _heavenly_ sensation, Seth let out a long suffering sigh,

" _Sheesh,_ alright, forget I asked."

For the next few minutes we maintained contented silence, which for me and Dean consisted of bobbing in the water and gazing at one another in total puppy love. It felt amazing to be with him so readily – to touch him, kiss him, _rely_ on him and more. I had always assumed that what I'd had with Andy had been perfectly respectable but with Dean it was _hot._ In being with him a whole world of affection had been opened up to me and I'd taken it and run. Even as I asked the question that had been bothering me, I was absently stroking up and down his arm,

"So, when those guys last night – the Rhodes brothers – came after me, they said that Hunter had messed with their family – ,"

I felt Dean stiffen beneath me instinctively but whether at my question of the thought of what had happened I couldn't be entirely sure. Roman and Seth shared a subtle look between them and then Roman cleared his throat almost mildly,

"Uh huh?"

"Well," I shrugged, "What did they mean? What did Hunter do to them?"

Dean's response was totally unflinching and also a little chilling as well,

"He made the Big Show knock their old man out."

" _What_? That's awful. Why would he do that?"

"Business."

I frowned,

"No way, that's not good enough – you don't go around making your employees punch pensioners because of some stupid business deal. There has to be more to it than that."

In response Dean let out a sigh of irritation and a flicker of annoyance crossed over his face.

"Lauren, why do you always ask so many questions? They spoke out against Hunter, got kicked out and couldn't take it. So they sent their old man to beg for their jobs. Let me tell you, that old guy ain't no slouch either. He can throw a fist like a champ. Look, don't you get it? That's how things go here. It's not nice and _never_ is it fuckin' fair. You don't like it? Fine. No one asked you to but if you're gonna stay here long-term and join the company you'll have to suck it up, okay?"

Throughout his speech he'd become more frustrated and in a moment of panic, I was worried he'd let go. Visions of bubbling black water enveloped me and I wrapped my arms as tight as I could muster around him and started breathing heavier.

 _No, no, no_.

"Hey," Dean responded, instantly softening and shifting his shoulders so he could get a better look, "Easy, I'm not goin' anywhere. I'm pissed, alright? But I'm not a total asshole."

Roman snorted,

"I disagree."

"Well you can go fuck yourself – you too Rollins."

Seth looked up from his cell phone offended,

"Wait a minute, what did _I_ do?"

"Nothin' but you were fuckin' _bound_ to say somethin', so spare me the innocent act, I know you too well."

After that we fell back into a comfortable silence, although I was still haunted by the thought of what Hunter had done. Who in their right minds beat up someone's father just to send a point to their sons? I mean, Dean was right, it was by no means a normal business but that was borderline not even _human_. Michael Cole had alluded to Hunter being ruthless and I had called him _sweet_. Had I been wrong?

Sensing my misgivings – or else just being adorable – Dean decided to kiss those thoughts away and as we spun in the water, our bodies moving closer, I could feel him predictably starting to get hard,

"Want to go back to the room?" I murmured and he grinned at me wickedly,

"Thank fuck for that – thought you were never gonna ask. I'm dyin' over here."

I smirked,

"Easy tiger."

He lifted me up onto the edge of the pool and I spun round and quickly collected our belongings. By the time Dean had pulled himself from the water, his predicament was fast becoming easy to see and as he wrapped a towel around himself discreetly, Seth chuckled teasingly and wolf-whistled as well,

"Hey Ambrose, when you two get done, think you can swing by my room for a while? I kinda ran out of cupboard space and I think I could use that to hang my jackets on."

Again Dean shot him a quick middle finger and then – mildly smiling – threw his eyes to the sky. Slinging a casual arm around my shoulders, he steered me in the direction of our luxury room. Sometimes it was good letting the boss pick the tab up. Nice accommodation was something I could get used to. As the elevator opened we stepped in hand-in-hand and then stood in near silence with an elderly couple. Dean and I were only going down three levels but our carriage-mates were heading right for the ground floor. That meant that we were going to have to shuffle out past them and feeling cheeky, I reached down and massaged Dean's rising shaft. He hissed and stifled a curse of elation and then quickly tried to bat my hand off. Unfortunately for him I was pretty persistent and by the time the doors pinged brightly open he was forced to walk sideways, pulling me along,

"You," Dean growled as he towed me down the hallway, patting his shorts for the card to our door, "Are a very bad girl."

"Does that mean I get punished?"

He fumbled in surprise with the flimsy key-card and then promptly dropped it on the floor,

"Fuck – Lauren, give a guy a hand here?"

I smiled back at him brightly,

"I thought I already had."

"Open the fuckin' door," Dean snapped in frustration and I giggled and decided to keep hamming it up. Mostly because I was in the mood to be naughty, but also because it straight up made me laugh,

"What _this_ door?"

"Lauren – ,"

"I don't have the key card. Oh, wait, what's this thing down here on the floor?"

As I bent down to pick it up, I dragged my breasts across him and he groaned and threw his head back to bang against the wall,

" _Fuck_."

When I eventually got the door open he was utterly insatiable and lifted me up to carry me in across the threshold. Even as he walked he was kissing me hungrily and dropping our towels and belongings as he went. With his foot he clumsily booted the door shut again and then crossed the room commandingly and dropped us both down on the bed.

"You," he offered, peeling down my swimsuit and drawing light kisses down towards my navel, "Are a _very_ fuckin' bad girl. Didn't your mother ever teach you to be nice?"

He flipped me onto my side so quickly that I gasped a little as his hand slapped my ass, not so hard that it wasn't enjoyable but just firm enough to take me by surprise. I raised my eyebrows. Two could play at that game. Reaching down I ran the heel of my palm achingly across his rock hard bulge and he instantly let me roll onto my back and shuddered a little,

"Oh yeah, you're _really_ gonna get it now,"

Grinning devilishly he dropped down against me, pinning me back to the bed by my arms, then he sunk his head down into my neckline and began to alternate between kissing, nipping and blowing until I was squirming and giggling and just generally _turned on_.

"Dean – ," I yelped as he dragged his nose tip up and down my collarbone, trying to wriggle out of his grasp, "Stop, I can't breathe – it tickles – ,"

"You shoulda thought of that before you started bein' a tease."

Even as I was busy trying to suck breath in, he drove his lips down onto mine and gave me a kiss so strong and hungry that it literally made my head spin,

" _Whoa_."

Releasing my wrists he started heading south again, running a line of kisses down my ribs. When he got to the hem of my half-off swimsuit, he started to peel it the rest of the way and I shuffled my hips to allow him to pull it off me and then groaned as my cell phone started to ring,

"Leave it," Dean instructed, adding extra kisses for every new inch of skin he revealed. Despite myself however, I glanced at the cell screen and then tensed a little,

"I shouldn't – it's my dad,"

"Sexy Lauren," Dean replied sarcastically, but he still didn't stop, "Mention my boss again,"

"I'm going to answer it."

"Don't you dare."

"But it's _Hunter_ , I can't – I can't ignore him. What if he thinks something's wrong and comes over here? Or sends up the hotel staff and they find us like this? I'm answering it."

"Lauren – ,"

But I totally overruled him and trying to sound nonchalant I picked the call up,

"Hey you, what's going on?"

Okay, _too_ nonchalant – way too nonchalant – and on the end of the line I heard Hunter briefly pause.

"Uh, nothing, I was just calling to check up on you. Stephanie told me what happened last night and I just got through seeing it and – well, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling – ," I thought it best not to say _horny_ , "Good, yep, I'm feeling good."

Above me, Dean had come to a relative standstill but on hearing my reply he suddenly smirked, dipping his head as I tried to push him backwards and failing as he easily swatted my hand off. Clearly he had seen his chance to get revenge on me and was going for it. Damn his sexy hide. I tried to push my ass down into the mattress but he lifted me up effortlessly and peeled the swimsuit across my thighs.

"Sure," Hunter offered back and I started a little, having vaguely forgotten he was still on the line, "I'm glad you're okay. You must have been scared last night – when it happened."

As my swimsuit flashed across the room and Dean straightened up to remove his own shorts, I absently agreed with him,

"Yep, scared, uh huh, it was – _wow_ ,"

The sight of Dean naked never failed to take my breath away but it didn't really help my conversational flow and I stiffened as Hunter seemed to clue in to something,

"Everything okay? You sound a little _off_. You in the middle of something?"

I closed my eyes in frustration.

 _Yes._

"Huh, what? _No_ , I – I'm fine. It's just a little hot here and I feel kind of flushed."

Well that wasn't a lie and grinning at the subtext of my frantic admission, Dean dropped his head and ran his nose along my thigh, starting down around the back of my kneecap and then moving up further all the way to my –

"I hope you're not worrying about last night? Don't be, okay? It wasn't your fault. The Rhodes brothers crossed the line out there and I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Despite what was happening – despite the _sensations_ – I couldn't help but feel a stab of alarm and even before I could think about asking, the words were falling out of my mouth,

"You're not going to hurt their father again are you?"

Dean's head shot up and he shook it at me warningly, but it was too late now, I'd already asked. There was an uncertain pause on the end of the line and when Hunter replied he sounded borderline annoyed,

"Who told you I hurt him before?"

"Uh, I don't know – ," I offered back awkwardly, "I guess I must have just heard it around."

Rolling his eyes and clearly trying to distract me – probably so that I would stop saying inflammatory things – Dean licked his finger and then dropped his hand down before slowly starting to rub at my mound. My back arched up off the bed instinctively and I almost missed Hunter's reluctant reply. This whole situation was so utterly wrong but at the same time I did _not_ want Dean to stop.

"He was threatening the business, I couldn't allow that – the company is bigger than just one man and his family and you know what? That includes me as well. Everyone has to move together and follow the rules – that's how it works. When one person threatens to break that system, then I have to act and I won't apologize for that."

Punching an old man? I wanted to argue, but Dean started flicking the tips of his fingers lightly across me, making me cry out,

" _Ah_ – ,"

"I know it wasn't my finest hour, but Dusty and his sons – they know how it goes. What they _shouldn't_ have done was bring you into it and I'm sorry it came down to that."

" _Uh huh_."

 _God_ Dean was an absolute asshole but so completely gifted as well and as I moved ever closer to my shivering release, he leaned forward and whirled his tongue around my nipple.

"Thank goodness The Shield were there to protect you."

As the conservation shifted, my eyes sprang open,

"What?"

"If those guys hadn't shown up when they did, things could have been a whole lot worse."

"Mmm," I agreed, rolling my head back as Dean's tongue slowly lapped around each breast. My hips were starting to judder beneath his hands and I couldn't control myself for much longer. Breathlessly I dropped the phone down to my side and opened my mouth as the waves of pleasure took me over, powerless to focus on anything else. At the very last moment, Dean slammed his lips down, covering up my elated half-scream. It faded away into a string of muted whimpers and I lay for a second or two, feeling dazed.

"Lauren?" I heard Hunter ask in the distance and my stomach rolled over – _oops_ , "You still there?"

"Yes," I gabbled, "Yes I'm still here, sorry, not really sure what happened there. I think the connection – like – dropped out or whatever. Maybe that means we're getting a storm? Anyway, um, what were you saying? I missed that last part."

Dean gave me a wolfish grin and took my hand to guide it down to his shaft. I rolled my eyes – how terribly romantic – but I let him do it all the same,

"I was _saying_ that Stephanie told me Ambrose yelled at her."

My blood ran cold and everything froze,

"What?"

"She told me he basically accused her of planning it. She was actually pretty upset about that you know? She said you were there. Do you think he crossed the line?"

I quickly removed my hand from Dean and pulled myself upright against the head of the bed. He looked up at me as if he was going to protest it and then stopped at the expression on my face,

"No, no," I answered hurriedly, "I don't think it was that. It's just that – well – you asked those guys to protect me and that's what they were doing. They take that seriously, you know? Dean was just angry that things went south – he wasn't blaming Stephanie at all."

As he got a handle on the conversation, Dean rolled his eyes and then clambered off the bed. For a minute I wasn't entirely sure what was happening, until he headed for the bathroom and clicked shut the door. Was he angry? Or was he relieving himself, figuring I would be busy for a while?

"You sure about that?"

I nodded,

"I am, I told you before The Shield are good guys. Who better to have as my official protectors? Besides, at least you know they care about the job. How else are they supposed to prove it?"

Hunter paused for an agonizing second then blew a breath out,

"Perhaps you're right. I'll let it go this time – but only because he saved your life _and_ came out to rescue you last night. Steph won't be pleased though, Ambrose really upset her. You'd better tell him to stay out of her way tonight."

I promised that I would and then Hunter wrapped the call up, telling me again he was pleased that I was safe. His last words were _take care_ and the second I hung up on him, the bathroom door opened and Dean stepped back out. By the look of his decidedly non-erect penis he had taken care of things himself and my shoulders slumped as I realized I'd failed him and I pouted slightly,

" _Ugh_ , I'm sorry for – for _that_. I didn't mean to ditch what we were doing. I wanted to be the one to – you know – _help you out_ ,"

I sighed despondently and he crossed the bed towards me and dropped back down,

"Hey Princess, I'm not mad okay? How could I be with you out here defendin' me like that?"

I blinked at him,

"You heard that?"

"Every fuckin' word," he stroked his thumb across my cheek gently and leant in to kiss me, before offering up a growl, "You're makin' it up to me later though. I want every trick on that list of yours."

I smiled and kissed him again,

"Deal."

"Good, now come on," he slapped me lightly on the thigh, "We need to be at the arena already. See who I'm supposed to beat into the ground."

I rolled my eyes and in response he threw my bra at me and clapped his hands to urge me along. As I stretched my limbs and headed for the bathroom, another thought came to me,

"Oh, Dean? Stephanie's _kind of_ on the warpath. You'd probably better keep out of her way."

He snorted from where he was pulling his jeans on and I watched hungrily as they slid across his ass.

"Trust me Princess, that's my plan always – unless I have to, I ain't gettin' _anywhere_ near."

* * *

 _ **Yeesh**_ **, poor Hunter, but what he doesn't know won't hurt him and if he** _ **did**_ **know, well frankly, he'd be scarred for life.**

 **As ever, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I'll you next time.**


	27. Great Balls Of Fire

**Skovko, Yeah, Seth is pretty much just the bridesmaid in this story! Maybe if he's really good, one day I might take a chance and give him his own!**

 **Labinnacslove, glad you liked it! Actually there are several people in this story that should probably have things explained to them!**

 **Psion53, Can't resist a bit of naughty Dean though! Stephanie comes up again in this chapter too and the next one and the one after that...in fact, she's going to be coming into her own soon…(I will leave you to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing!)**

 **Kayla English, Haha, I hope I haven't given you ideas, I don't want to be responsible for any family fallings-out! Plus, that's why we love Dean, right? Because he doesn't do what you would expect (or at least, my version of him doesn't!)**

 **ThatGirl54, Well, not to give too much away, but that side of things is coming up fast. Let's just say that when it happens, everything gets a little bit chaotic. I couldn't possibly say any more, but I hope you'll enjoy it when we get there!**

* * *

 **Great Balls of Fire**

That night at the _Smackdown_ taping, Dean kept his word and avoided going anywhere that Stephanie was. It was actually a pretty impressive feat considering that she spent most of it stalking the corridors, snapping and snarling at people in her way. When Hunter had told me she was _upset_ , he clearly hadn't been overstating her response. In fact the whole night seemed more tense than usual and I was glad when Matt gave me a little reprieve.

"Hey," he whispered, sidling over, "Want to come with me on a totally pointless job?"

I grinned,

"Sure, but what's the problem? Aren't you enjoying the _party vibe_ here?"

The mood in gorilla was worse than uptight and all around us people stood or wandered around awkwardly. At the centre of it all sat Stephanie McMahon, staring darkly into the monitor and accompanied by a cluster of storm clouds overhead. She had greeted me with a hug and a smile but since then her mood had only gotten worse. Nobody spoke – unless they were snapped at – and for the most part people didn't even dare move.

I just hoped it wasn't all because of Dean.

Matt snorted wryly,

"Oh yeah, it's a _blast_."

"So, what are we up to?"

Gallantly offering out his elbow, I looped my arm through it with an entertained smile,

"Her Highness wants a special cup of coffee, which the catering staff here, I quote, _cannot get god damn right_. Apparently it needs some steamed cashew milk and she's shocked that it doesn't just come out of a tap. Oh, how the other half live. Anyhow, she's asked me to track some down for her and _I_ think it's possible I might need a hand."

"I think you might be right," I agreed, "For all we know, that carton could be heavy."

Together we strode cheerily out of gorilla and as we emerged into the corridor, the oppression lifted off.

"It's like walking out of the lion's den or worse – _walmart_ during the sales, _ugh_."

"You realize you're talking about my stepmother here?"

"Yes but even you have to agree – as much as I love her – the woman's a bitch."

I grinned at him and gave him a squeeze,

"Oh god, without a doubt, an absolute nightmare – but only on occasion."

Matt snorted,

" _Permanently_."

Together we walked arm in arm through the corridors, zig-zagging around the corners and bends. After having been chased last week by the Wyatts, backstage didn't seem as safe anymore and although I was glad the weird clan had been sent packing, it was only a few days until their suspension was up. As a sweaty hand of dread clutched my gut at the thought of it, I cleared my throat and changed the subject fast.

"So, why ask me on this little errand? I mean, not that I'm not happy to come, it's just I thought you would probably ask the new guy – what's his name again?"

"Adriano?"

I grinned,

"That's the one – the same one you've been making eyes at for days now but _still_ haven't asked out. What's up with that, _hmm_?"

Matt snorted brusquely and waved an airy hand in a horrible attempt at trying to sound unflustered. The truth was he hadn't so much been _making eyes_ as positively following the guy around drooling. It was weird, I mean, usually Matt was pretty damn confident but suddenly he seemed ridiculously shy. That's how I knew he had to have it bad for him and why I had made it my mission to try.

"What do you mean? I have _not_ been making eyes – men make eyes at _me_ , not the other way round. Besides, I'm practically his boss. I need to maintain a professional distance."

I blinked,

"Professional distance? You took _me_ out clubbing."

"How dare you, I was welcoming you into the team."

"You spent most of the night kissing random strangers."

He groaned,

"Oh god, don't talk about that night – it was horrible, _horrible_ and just goes to show why I should stop trying to mix my work life and pleasure."

"That's a shame," I sighed mildly,

"Why?"

"Because there's a cute little coffee shop right around the corner – oh – and also, Adriano's coming this way."

Matt's face instantly drained of all colour,

"What? I can't – I mean – how do I look?"

As he spotted us hovering, the new guy – Adriano – beamed across broadly and scurried our way. Matt had his back to him, fluffing his hair up and only stopped when I nodded and placed a hand on his arm.

"Hey Matt,"

" _Oh_ , Adriano isn't it? Yeah, I think I've seen you around."

His attempt at being nonchalant was way too brutal and in response to it Adriano's tanned face fell. How could he possibly be doing so badly? I nudged Matt in the kidneys with my elbow, _hard_.

"What Matt here was trying to say," I put in for him, "Is how have you been getting on?"

Adriano nodded,

"It's a little different to what I'm used to, but I think I'm starting to get the lay of the land."

"It's a lot to take in isn't it?" I agreed sympathetically, "I'm still pretty new myself. But don't worry, the first week is always the hardest. I was lucky I had Matt here to help me along. He's amazing – really – I'm not just saying that."

Matt glared down at me,

"I wish you weren't saying anything at all."

" _Hey_ – ," I ignored him, snapping my fingers as if I'd just hit on a brilliant idea, "Why don't you take Adriano here and show him where to buy the boss' favourite milk?"

Matt's eyelid flickered,

"I was _going_ with you."

In the background I got a sudden half-glimpse of Dean, heading for the locker room, still in his day clothes. Something in my stomach tightened and my heart did a tiny little leap in the air. Instantly I knew where I wanted to be and it made me warm to my match-making even more.

"Yeah but I – _oh damn_ – I've got that _thing_ , you know?"

"What thing?"

"You know, that – that _thing_. So I can't actually go. Adriano, you don't mind helping Matt, do you?"

The new guy smiled shyly,

"Not at all, no."

"Well then, that's settled," I grinned back annoyingly before waving them off like I was sending them to prom, "Go on then – don't be late back but most of all you two _have fun_."

I was acting like an irrational parent trying to marry her daughter off and to make matters worse I actually _pushed_ them, prodding them both pointedly in the back. They set off together – in abject bewilderment – not knowing what was happening. Had I taken it too far? Matt turned back to look at me briefly and for a second I thought he was genuinely mad, then however he winked at me cheekily and mouthed two words,

 _Thank you_.

I'd done good.

I watched them until they'd rounded the corner and then set off with a satisfied sigh. One happy couple hooked up for the evening, now it was time to track down _my_ guy. Luckily Dean was exactly where I had expected him and as I let myself quietly into their locker room, he put down his wrist tape and looked up in surprise,

"Hey, you alright?"

"Are Roman and Seth here?"

He blinked at me mildly, then shook his head side to side,

"No, why?"

I shut the door behind me and then locked it, which drew an instantly knowing little smile.

"Oh Princess, you really _are_ a bad girl aren't you? You know, I think you might've been hangin' around with me too long. I'm pretty sure I'm corruptin' you. Not that I think that's a _problem_ – ,"

"I bet you don't."

I grinned and crossed the room towards him, letting him pull me into his arms. His kiss was deep and hungry and expectant and I giggled as he broke off to trail his lips along my jaw. His hand came up to cup my breast and he began to lazily stroke his thumb across my nipple, coaxing it up with gentle teases and then grinning like a devil when it started to respond. In turn I dropped my own hand down his body and slowly rubbed him through the material of his jeans.

"Who knew you got turned on by public places? My dirty little small town girl."

He nipped my ear and then exhaled heavily as I started to increase the speed of my stroke. Under my hand I could feel him getting harder and as he burrowed into my neckline I reached for his belt,

"How long before you have to go out?"

"Long enough," he grumbled back and as his breath tickled me softly, I giggled and tried to bring my shoulder up,

"Dean," I yelped as he forced it back down again and nestled his head in even more, it made it impossible to see his belt loops and in the end I had to do it purely through guesswork, "You're not exactly making this easy – I'm _starting_ to think that maybe you don't want this."

I moved to pull away and he dragged me back towards him, grinning and undoing his belt with one hand,

"Oh no you don't," he smirked, "Not this time,"

Then he planted a kiss on my nose. With his belt taken care of I moved to his zipper, unbuttoning his jeans and then sliding them down. There was already a tell-tale bulge in his boxers and I pressed my palm to it.

 _Well hello_.

All the while I was working, Dean was busy kissing me and caressing my breasts and just making me feel loved. Andy had been more one or the other and in most cases _one_ turned out to be him. Not that he was an _uncaring_ lover it was more that Dean seemed to live to turn me on. Hoping to return the favour, even a little I slid my fingers in around the band and slowly started to ease down his shorts. Before he even knew what I was doing, I pushed him backwards and he flopped down heavily, landing on the bench with a grunt,

"What the – ,"

"Trust me."

It was something he had said to me at least a million times now and I was kind of touched when he simply nodded,

"Okay."

I rested my hands on his knees and leant into him, kissing him and then tugging with my teeth on his lip. Then I started to kiss his down his torso and he sighed and sank back up against the wall. As I slowly moved down, I lowered onto my knees and the little trail of kisses got lower down too. One of his hands ran through my hair roughly and when I glanced up at him, Dean's eyes were closed,

"So fuckin' dirty – my little Princess – ,"

Bending in I kissed his tip and then lightly swirled my tongue around. His body jolted slightly and his blue eyes opened and I looked up at him and drank in his gaze Even when I was doing something – let's face it – unglamorous, his expression seemed utterly full of _love_. There it was – that word again – and what a time to be thinking about it.

 _God_.

Trying to turn my thoughts back to the moment, I placed my hand around the base and then dragged my tongue from top to bottom, tapping it against the head and feeling him jerk,

" _Fuck_ ,"

"Good?"

He glared at me, flush-faced,

"I think you fuckin' know it is – you and you're little book of dick tips – _fuck_ – ,"

The cuss was in response to me beginning to write my name down, drawing out each letter with the tip of my tongue. He panted for a moment and his fingers tightened but then he seemed to work out what I was doing,

"Brandin' me Princess? _Fuck_ ," he shivered, "Don't want anyone else to have me, huh?"

"Nope."

By the time I began to suck on his tip, his thighs were twitching and his chest was heaving up and down. It didn't help that the locker room was sweltering – which was what they got for being antisocial and getting changed in a room in the arena's stuffy bowels. Moving my hands up I started to play with him, twisting them around him in opposite directions all the while continuing to suck on his head. With my tongue I stroked against the sensitive underside and he swore again,

"Lauren – Jesus, fuck, – ,"

A moment later he reached his crescendo and swore loudly before sitting back and starting to pant. The second his body had stopped trembling around him, he pulled me easily onto his lap, gazing up at me with a glassy expression and hauling me tightly into his chest.

"How can you be so god damn perfect? All innocent and sweet and a fuckin' demon with that tongue? You're not real Princess – you fuckin' can't be. You got me scared I'm gonna wake up."

I giggled,

"You're not, besides, I feel the same way."

Dean cocked his head at me,

"That you're the unholy demon goddess of tongues?"

I swatted him mildly and rolled my eyes,

" _No_ , not that part you wise ass. I _mean_ the part where this isn't real. I – I have literally never been this happy in my life and – not to sound _sappy_ – but I'm pretty sure it's down to you. That doesn't, like, freak you out or anything, does it?"

He smiled at me and then leant in to kiss me, planting it on the tip of my nose,

"I think we should break up."

I elbowed him,

"Shut up – _ugh_ – forgive me for trying to have a halfway tender moment."

As I turned to walk off towards the bathroom, he caught me and quickly spun me back round. I collided with his chest and he steadied me quickly by placing his warm hands over my hips. He dropped in his head until it was nuzzling my earlobe and his breath across my skin – and the growl of his voice – made me shudder as I curled my hand through his hair,

"I told you before Princess, I'm lost in you, alright? No fuckin' way am I lettin' you go."

Unfortunately for both of us however he had to – at least physically – when there was a sudden bang at the door.

"Ow, what the fuck? Dean man, you in there?"

Dean rolled his eyes. Seth. Right on cue.

"Yeah, yeah, keep your panties on Rollins."

Tucking himself back in and zipping his flies up, Dean crossed the room and unlocked the door. Seth burst in with Roman right behind him and although he looked wide-eyed he also looked confused.

"Hey, why did you – ," he stopped on seeing me, " _Oh_."

Dean rolled his eyes and crossed his arms lazily as he casually leant back up against the wall,

"So is there a reason you're even more amped up than usual or did you just come in here to smirk at my girl?"

"No man – why aren't you answering your phone?"

Dean shrugged,

"Can't find it – must have left it in the room."

Letting out a sigh, Seth crossed to the television. As was the case in most of the arenas, there was a screen screwed into a high corner of the room. Given that the tapings were fast-moving animals, they were usually turned on for the roster to see. If anyone was beaten or outnumbered in the ring, then having it being fed back into the locker room increased the chances of a mass, all-out brawl, which – as I had come to discover – were good for ratings and therefore the company over all.

"Well you guys are going to want to see this – especially you Lauren."

I frowned,

"Why? What does that mean?"

Roman came up to stand beside me and his face was worrying and unusually grim,

"Just watch Baby Girl," he instructed me gently and we all turned and looked as the screen blinked into life. It wasn't a surprise to find it already tuned to _Smackdown_ but what _was_ a surprise was the image we saw and I had to peer closely and tilt my head a little before I could half-comprehend what it actually was,

"Is that – ," I blinked, "Is that Stephanie's _car_?"

"Used to be," Seth replied, "Before it got burnt."

In the centre of the screen – with Michael Cole talking over it – was a familiar looking black town car, except the windows had been busted clean out of it and the entire thing seemed to be on fire. As the camera panned over I could see Stephanie beside it, frantically screaming for people to fetch water. It seemed a pretty pointless command though – seriously – the thing was totally done.

"What the hell happened?" Dean asked with a frown and Seth shrugged,

"Nobody's sure, but wait, that's not the worst bit – here it comes, Lauren, look – ,"

With people rushing to and fro in front of it, the camera inched back and then across to one side. The car had been parked up alongside the building and there was an untidy message scrawled across the garage door. For a second it was partly obscured by flames and the smoke clouds but as the wind blew it suddenly showed up clear. I gasped and my stomach flipped over on instinct as the camera zoomed in and let the words fill the screen. I couldn't believe them – I didn't really want to.

 _For Lauren_.

Who had put them there and what did they mean?

* * *

 **Holy cliffhanger Batman! So...guesses? I'll take as many as you've got!**


	28. The Big Cheese

**Okay, so personally I like to call this chapter 'The Calm Before the Storm' because (as you will find out in the next few posts) that's pretty much what it is. We meet a new (but very familiar) face in this one too. Not sure why, I just suddenly wanted him in there, being his usual self (I'll leave it at that and let you read now!)**

 **Labinnacslove, Not to worry, new chapter day is here!**

 **Moxley Gal1, Glad I've got you thinking. All will be revealed in (some) chapters time!**

 **Psion53, Things get even more serious before they get better as well (and yes, that's me being cryptic again!)**

 **ThatGirl54, Yeah, Stephanie's not easy going at the best of times. This chapter is kinda McMahon heavy as well, so lots of Steph (whether that's a good thing or a bad thing I'm not really sure!)**

 **Raze Olympus, Hey, I'll try and remember, shouldn't be too frequent from now, other things are happening instead (i.e with what may or may not be the Wyatts, saying no more!)**

 **Skovko, Would I leave you hanging for too long? Would I be that mean?! Also, I kinda grew to love Matt and wanted him to be happy as well (still just Seth on his own then!)**

 **MizHyde, Oh hey, don't worry, I never expect reviews but I'm glad you read it and liked it all the same (and attempted to review, sounds like something I would do!) Funny you should mention Vince as well…**

 **Guest, Thank you so much!**

* * *

 **The Big Cheese**

Instead of flying out early to the House Shows – as had become my usual routine – in the aftermath of what had happened Hunter and Stephanie asked me to hang back with them so we could have lunch together in some up-market hotel. Fortunately for Dean the spot they had chosen for our meal was opposite a rustic-looking little bar and so he gladly installed himself on a stool there and settled in to patiently await my return.

"Don't get too drunk," I warned him grinning as he looped his arms around my waist.

"How about we make a deal? I don't get too drunk and _you_ don't get too chatty."

I scoffed at him,

"Me? _Please_. When do I get too chatty?"

His kissed me deeply,

"All the fuckin' time."

Since the whole car-burning _For Lauren_ fiasco, he had again been unwilling to let me out of his sight and although I was only going to be directly across from him, I couldn't ignore the way he was holding my hips tight.

"I wish you could come with me."

He grinned,

"Oh yeah, I bet _Daddy Hunter_ would fuckin' love that – his lunatic hound and his beautiful daughter tellin' him they're screwin' around."

"So that's what we're doing? _Screwing around_ , huh?"

I leaned in against him and lightly twisted his nipple but despite my attempted punishment, Dean only smiled,

"Does that mean I get to do that too?"

I batted his hand down,

"Not here you don't."

Given that he still hadn't found his cell phone – not at the arena, not in the room – we agreed that I would come and get him when I was finished and we would hide in the bar until Hunter and Stephanie were gone. Our flight wasn't until much later in the evening and so it wasn't like we were in a rush. Technically Dean wasn't even supposed to be there – he was _meant_ to be home in Vegas enjoying the sun. I was glad he was with me though, ridiculously glad, especially when he gave me a kiss and patted my behind,

"Go on, have fun."

Actually I intended to.

Okay, well maybe not _have fun_ but at the very least I was hoping for a nice relaxing meal which was more than I would have dreamed of two weeks ago. The way my relationship with Hunter had flourished – and that was before we even talked about Steph – was almost mind bogglingly, _fantastically_ brilliant and so far from being nervous about being there, I was actually looking forward to my first family meal.

As I had expected the restaurant was fancy, with a monogrammed carpet and servers with white gloves. It was a marked step-up from the little Italian that Hunter had taken me to after we'd found out the results and as one of the waiters led me over to our table, I desperately tried to work out why that was.

Were Hunter and Stephanie trying to impress me?

Maybe they had some shares in the place?

As we got closer however, I suddenly realized, because there at the table was _Vince freakin' McMahon_. I stopped on instinct and the waiter bumped into me, jolting us both forward in an awkward little dance. Everyone looked up and I winced my embarrassment.

Yeah, that was a _really_ good start.

"There she is," Hunter beamed broadly, crossing towards me with wide open arms. It was the first time we had seen each other person-to-person since the night he had _introduced_ me out in the ring. I mean, sure, since then we'd talked almost daily but it still felt a like a moment and I unconsciously tensed, "How are you feeling? Are you alright?"

As his suit pillowed softly alongside my cheek and his deep voice reverberated in through my chest, I took in a deep breath and relaxed up against him, instantly feeling protected and safe. All things considered it was a pretty nice feeling – maybe not _Dean nice_ but it still felt warm,

"Uh huh," I nodded, "Yep – I'm fine."

"I'm glad to hear it, now come and sit down."

As we crossed towards the table, Stephanie reached out and stroked at my arm.

"I hope you're not too shaken up about last night Lauren?"

"No, I'm okay – but shouldn't I be asking you? I mean, after all, it _was_ your car. Why in the world would anybody do that? Do you know who it was?"

"We've got a few leads."

It was an almost deliberately withheld answer and I realized with a blush that I was still not _one of them_. Until I was I would never be in the thick of it and – actually – that knowledge suited me fine.

As Hunter pulled my chair back for me, I settled down onto it with a luxurious little bounce. In front of me was more cutlery than I had ever laid my eyes on and a napkin in a silver ring which I quickly flapped out. It was only when Hunter had sat himself back down again that I was finally introduced to the company's main man.

"Lauren," Hunter started, gesturing across to him, "This is Steph's father – Vince McMahon."

He extended a hand to me across table and I shook it, surprised that the grip was so firm. Keen to make a good first impression I tightened my own hand in a business-like manner and was surprised when his expression moved from considered to amused. I hoped that meant he appreciated my effort but honestly, I couldn't be sure.

"Nice to meet you Mr. McMahon, I've heard lots about you."

"All good I'm sure? Call me Vince by the way sweetheart, it's a whole lot less formal. Which makes sense since I'm almost your grandfather now – technicalities to one side of course."

I blinked back at him in dumbfounded amazement but managed a halting little half-nod,

"Okay – Vince it is then."

He smiled,

"That's my girl."

Life was officially getting much, much weirder.

I was having lunch with _Vincent McMahon_.

To begin with we started with conventional topics – schooling, upbringing, family life – and by the time the main meals were placed down on the table, I was starting to feel a little more relaxed. If I was honest, I didn't do a whole lot of talking, I didn't _need_ to since Hunter did most of it on my behalf. Not that he knew me that well himself of course, but what he _did_ know he shared with his father-in-law. It was an oddly touching thing to listen to – he sounded _proud_ of me – but it was embarrassing as well and so I spent the majority of it staring at my pasta and attempting to hide my blush behind my hair.

"She wants to go to college, isn't that right Lauren?"

I nodded,

"Um, yep."

"English literature. Lauren's a reader. She's already the smartest person in my family."

Stephanie smiled as I dipped my head down and placed a hand on her husband's sleeve,

"Hunter, maybe we should change the subject for a while. You know Lauren's not an _in the spotlight_ kind of girl and I think all this attention is a little bit too much for her."

The expression on Hunter's face made me feel guilty as he whipped his head round in surprise. He looked kind of _crushed_ and my embarrassment went forgotten as I scrambled to make him feel better about himself. After all, he'd only been acting like my _father_. Isn't that what I'd wanted all along?

"Oh – uh – no, I mean, it's fine really, it's just I'm sure you guys have got other _stuff_ to talk about and honestly I'm not a very interesting person, not a whole lot to _discuss_ , you know?"

Quirking an eyebrow, Vince sat forward and fixed me a look,

"The fans disagree."

"What?"

As all eyes spun in his direction, he greeted our faces with a knowing little smirk and suddenly I realized why he'd grinned when he'd met me – it hadn't been my handshake – he'd known something more.

"Dad?" Steph put in, after a moment, "What exactly are you talking about here?"

"The feedback from the last two weeks," Vince offered suddenly, with zero pre-amble, "Is that the audience responded well to little Lauren's spots. They like her, they see her as a natural baby face and the male demographic also thinks she's pretty hot."

I blushed again and glanced over at Hunter, whose face had darkened slightly. Yeah, best not mention Dean. Thankfully Stephanie was a little more pragmatic and frowned in response,

"So what does that mean?"

"It _means_ ," Vince replied, "That if Lauren is willing, I think she should consider spending some more time on screen. I don't mean wrestling but maybe valeting, or doing commentary or interviews – that type of thing?"

My mouth fell open in total astonishment but Hunter beat me to it,

"I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, you saw what happened to her on _Raw_. If The Shield boys hadn't shown up when they did then Lauren could have been seriously hurt and then with the Wyatts and now with this car thing? I don't think it's the right way to go here, I don't want to go against you, but honestly, I think you're wrong."

For a second there was a considered sort of silence and then Stephanie lightly cleared her throat,

"Maybe being out there would help keep her safer?"

"It hasn't so far," Hunter shot back, "Which is precisely why I gotta say _no_."

Stephanie pouted,

"It's not up to you Hunter. I think you'll find the final say goes to your daughter. So, what do you think Lauren? How do _you_ feel about going out there?"

Suddenly everyone turned in my direction with a mixture of expectation, curiosity and alarm. I could feel my heartbeat pounding out loudly and my palm grew sweaty as it curled around my fork. What exactly was the proper procedure when trying to turn down the all-powerful boss? Did I go against what I wanted and say _yes_ just to please him? Or go with my gut and risk being thrown out? Reaching across I took a large gulp of red wine and sucked a deep breath in,

"I think for now I'm going to have to say no – that is, I mean no _thank you_ – but no regardless. Hunter's right, you saw what happened to me last time. I'm not really cut out for in-ring _anything_. I'm still just really scared by this whole business and I'm sorry if that sounds kind of pathetic but – ,"

"Don't apologize at all," Vince cut in, "I wasn't suggesting you go out there by yourself – I'd have made you part of a much stronger team – but as you say, you're still new here. Maybe I rushed you. Can you promise me at the very least you'll keep it in mind?"

As Stephanie's eyes shot curiously between us, I nodded slowly,

"Sure, I – I can do that."

Thankfully that seemed to be _sort of_ an end to it and for the rest of the main course the conversation was easier. After the plates were cleared, Stephanie excused herself and headed to the bathroom to _powder her nose_. At the same time Hunter had to step out to take a call, which left Vince and I unchaperoned and alone.

I won't lie, I couldn't help but feel tense about it, which didn't go unnoticed because suddenly Vince laughed,

"Do I scare you?"

I pulled a face,

"Why? Do I look scared?"

"Yes."

"Well," I shrugged, "That's probably because I am."

"Because I'm the boss?"

"Because your Stephanie's father and – okay – _maybe_ because you're the boss."

Vince snorted roughly,

"You don't have to be scared of me. I meant it when I said we were family. We are."

"Thanks," I smiled, before up grinning cheekily, "Does that mean I can keep using the jet?"

"No."

At Vince's grin the tension eased off a bit and we seemed to hit on a sparky rapport. It was similar to what I'd had early with Dean and so assumed it was just some sort of wrestling _thing_. Evidently guys in the business liked witty banter and I was _more_ than good with that. Thankfully our new truce also allowed me a breather and I settled back and took another sip of my wine. It was a special vintage that Stephanie had picked out and while it was drinkable it didn't taste great. Well, certainly _not_ to my palette anyway and I was still busy wondering how much it cost per bottle when Vince's next question suddenly rang out,

"So how long have you and Ambrose been a thing?"

I promptly spat my mouthful right out again, only just managing to get it back in the glass,

"I – what?"

"You and Ambrose," Vince repeated evenly, "I asked how long you two have been a thing?"

For a second I just stared as a big cold hand curled in tightly around my thumping heart.

 _Oh god, oh god._

What did I say to him? How were my poor acting skills supposed to pull this off?

"I – I don't know what you're talking about. Um, Dean and me – that is Ambrose _and I_ – we're _not_ a thing. That's – that's crazy. Where would you – _why_ would you – why would you think that? It's – it's ridiculous –I mean, come on – ,"

"I saw the two of you kissing each other. In the bar across the street an hour ago."

"Oh, I – that wasn't – wasn't what it looked like. See, Hunter asked The Shield to look after me in the daytime and they take that seriously and um – um – ,"

It was hopeless but fortunately Vince merely waved a hand at me, making the gesture airy and totally un-fussed,

"Relax, I have no desire to tell Stephanie or Hunter. This little secret is between you and me."

"It is?"

"You sound surprised, why, do you not trust me?"

"No, no," I shook my head, "I guess I just – why? Wouldn't it be better for the storylines or something or – wait a minute – is that what you meant? You said you would put me with someone strong? You were weren't you? You were going to make it an angle?"

Vince shrugged mildly,

"If you were on board, but you're not so that's it. I can't make you do it. As for why I'm not telling Steph? Well – as you might have noticed recently – my daughter has a tendency to be wound pretty tight and what with the Rhodes brothers and her car being burnt out, this is just one more thing she doesn't need. Now, contrary to popular belief, I don't find these lunches terribly easy and quite frankly I can't stand this expensive damn wine. So I like to get myself a glass of scotch beforehand, preferably in some cute little bar – ,"

"That's where you saw me and Dean," I finished and he laced his fingers and nodded at me,

"Right."

"So," I blinked, "Why bring it up if you're not going to tell me. Is it _just_ to torture me or – ,"

"I saw the way Ambrose was looking at you Lauren and I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd see that with him. He's a ruthless bastard – I know that, I hired him – but with you? It's different. I kinda like that. It reminds me of how I was with my wife Linda,"

"Oh."

So that was all this really was? A long winded approval? I was down with that. It couldn't hurt to have the blessing of the big boss. Especially when it came to telling Hunter and Steph.

"Seriously kid, you make a cute couple."

"Thank you."

To finish, Vince offered me a wink and as Stephanie strode towards us in the background I sat up a little straighter and tried to act cool. Vince McMahon was _actually_ on my side. He thought Dean and I were – his words – _cute_. By the time Stephanie arrived back at the table I was virtually buzzing with excitement at it all. I wasn't sure if I gave it away exactly, but she certainly looked appraisingly between the pair of us,

"So," she started brightly, "What have you been talking about?"

I grinned at her happily. I felt amazing. Actually I felt on top of the world. Vince leaned in and patted her hand sweetly and it was nice to see their father daughter bond.

"Good news," he smiled, "Our little Lauren has agreed to be on camera more."

My mouth dropped open and I gulped almost audibly.

Um, I _what_?

That son of a bitch _._

"Really? Stephanie quirked an eyebrow at me, "Wow Dad. How did you get her to say yes to that?"

"Come on now Steph, you know I have my ways," Vince glanced across at me, his gaze feeling cold, "But I think we have come to a little understanding, isn't that right Lauren?"

I nodded,

"Yep."

 _Dick._

For the rest of the meal I sat feeling stupid and numb and honestly angry as hell – even when Hunter came back with _developments_ about who might have firebombed Stephanie's car. Even when a slice of cheesecake was put in front of me – I was done with the meal.

I just wanted Dean.

* * *

 **What? Vince being crafty and shifty? Surely not?!**

 **Hope you liked it, as I mentioned earlier, things are going to get a bit more chaotic after this!**


	29. We Didn't Start The Fire

**Okay, so from here on in, we go kinda crazy and everything comes converging at once. Strap in for this one. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Labinnacslove, Vince's plans get a bit derailed in this one...well, sort of anyway...you'll see what I mean!**

 **MizHyde, It wouldn't be Vince without a bit of blackmail though, right? I honestly tried to make him more benign but he just morphed into The Chairman. What can I say?!**

 **Psion53, Um...so okay, about keeping her safe…**

 **ThatGirl54, I think it would be safe to say that Dean isn't happy with** _ **any**_ **of the McMahons, especially after the events in this chapter coming up!**

 **Wrestlechic1, That's the Vince we know and love, obsessed with money and viewing figures and little else! Pretty sure I read today that he was furious the eclipse got more viewers than he did. He's actually annoyed with** _ **nature**_ **for besting him. That's pretty great!**

 **Skovko, Nah, she's not too fussed by on-screen stuff, she just wants her muscle man and very little else, I think we can forgive her for that, right?!**

* * *

 **We Didn't Start The Fire**

To say I was nervous about walking into Raw the next Monday night would be downplaying it too far. I was _literally_ terrified – a big ball of jitters – and unfortunately for more reason than just one.

Firstly I was worried about having to be on camera, which I knew would be happening at some point thanks to Vince. Dean had been furious – as had Seth and Roman – but in the grand scheme of things it was by no means the main concern. After all, as long as I gave him some screen time, Vince had no reason to give our relationship up. Besides which he had promised to give me protection and I knew that his protection was likely to be The Shield. If I was in the ring with Dean and Seth and Roman, then I knew I would feel safer and they would keep it that way.

That wasn't what I was worried about.

My _biggest_ concern was the end of the suspension and the knowledge that the Wyatts were going to be back. I had actually found myself _dreaming_ about them and had woken with a jolt sometime in the night. Without even asking me what it had been about – working on his boyfriend telepathy skills – Dean had pulled me into his arms sleepily and murmured in gruff tones,

"You're gonna be fine."

It was the reason I stuck to him like really needy glue as we made our way into the arena that night. Usually I would have peeled off backstage but this time I kept a tight hold of Dean's hand and walked with them right the way to their locker room, which was followed by Seth firmly locking the door.

The show had already started sometime earlier and I had more than one missed call on my phone but Dean had been adamant about getting there later so everyone would be distracted instead of knowing where we were. It seemed to have worked too because nobody bothered them although the silence in their locker room was unsettling in itself.

 _Ugh_.

I hated feeling so powerless about it and most of all I hated feeling scared. Involuntarily my arms came up around me and spotting it Dean came over and pressed a kiss into my hair.

"We got this, okay?" he murmured gently, cupping my face to rub my cheeks with his thumbs, "We're not gonna let anythin' happen to you baby. You trust me?"

I nodded up at him,

"Yes."

" _There's_ my brave girl."

He stooped down and kissed me and then reached for my hand again, pulling me decisively onto my feet. My heart skipped a beat as I realized what was happening.

The Shield boys were ready to head out.

They'd been scheduled for action in a six-man tag match and had decided that morning that I was safer off with them. In a weird way it meant giving into Vince's wishes but with the Wyatts loose it was lesser of two annoying evils and so I fell into formation in the middle of their grouping, holding Dean's hand as I followed them out.

Which is precisely when everything went to hell.

The first indication was the appearance of the cameras which seemed to swoop in from out of the blue. In response Dean merely brushed past them angrily and kept on walking while I skittered along behind. Wedged in firmly between Seth and Roman and with Dean's back taking up the bulk of my view, I couldn't really see what – if anything – was ahead of us and so when Dean stopped suddenly, I bumped nose-first into his spine.

"What the – ,"

At the sound of Seth's confused sounding half-sentence, my heart seized up and my blood turned to ice. Instantly my thoughts spun straight to the Wyatts and I started to shake as pure fear took hold. What I was _not_ expecting however – nor was anyone – was a clipped sounding tone from somewhere up ahead and the rattle of something metal moving in closer as a name rang out,

"Dean Ambrose?"

"Yeah?"

Feet came towards us and without pre-amble, bit out a sentence,

"Dean Ambrose, you're under arrest."

A bolt of astonishment rocketed through me and the guys all stiffened as they reacted to it as well. Of all the trouble headed our direction – psychotic chairman, insane cult groups – incarceration was probably the _one_ thing we hadn't made any sort of plan of action for.

" _What_?" Seth barked in understandable outrage, "What are you talking about? What the hell for?"

As the feet came closer I could see who was talking and I was surprised to realize that it was the _actual_ police, two of them to be exact, looking pretty serious and flanked by some company security guards as well. Clearly they had figured that Dean wouldn't go quietly and for the most part I thought they had probably figured right.

"Arson."

"Are you _kiddin'_ me?" Dean's snarl was feral, "What am I supposed to have set fire _to_?"

"A vehicle."

"A vehicle – oh _come on_? You gotta be shittin' me. You're talkin' about god damn _Stephanie's_ car?"

"He didn't do that man," Seth answered hotly as Dean let out a genuine laugh, "Where's your god damn evidence anyway?"

The answer was stony,

"We have our evidence down at the precinct. We just need Mr. Ambrose to come with us,"

"Like hell are you taking him _anywhere_ ," Seth spat as the rattle of the handcuffs sounded sharp and clear. My stomach flipped over. This couldn't be happening. My head whirred back to my lunch six days earlier and Stephanie's vague reply when I asked who their suspects were.

 _We have leads_.

Had they known then that those leads were Dean? Had they known and not told me?

I suddenly felt sick.

As the officer stepped forward, Dean's hand fell away from me although before he could move again, Roman stepped up. It was strange and pretty awesome to watch him, staring down an officer of the law – and since the guy was only maybe five ten it really _was_ a case of staring down. What it _didn't_ help however, was the overall tension and from the tightening of Dean's fists it only added to the flames. Instinctively I balled my hands worriedly in Dean's vest top and his head turned a little as if remembering I was there.

As Roman stepped in closer, Dean put an arm up, blocking his way.

" _Easy_ big guy, I'm sure this whole deal is just a crazy misunderstandin',"

He jerked his head in my direction as he spoke to him and Roman's eyes flickered down at me before he took a step back. Seth however was still apoplectic and in many ways that was a comforting thing,

"This is bull crap man – it's _bull crap_."

Vaguely sensing a semi-opportunity, the first officer stepped in closer again, pulling his cuffs out and reading Dean his rights as they prepared to take him away – away from me.

 _No_.

Surging forward I brushed past Dean's side, placing both hands on the officer's chest.

"Lauren – ," Dean started, moving to grab me but I was desperate and in the moment, a fraction too fast,

" _No_ ," I burst, " _Please_ , he didn't do it. I can prove it. When it happened he was with – ,"

" _Lauren_ ,"

Finally catching me by the arm, Dean pulled me back and then spun me round his way. It was odd that he seemed so unbelievably calm about it, since I on the other hand, was definitely not.

"But you – ,"

"Hey, _no_ ," he instructed me shortly, "It's okay. I'll be fine. I've been through this before. Don't do anythin' stupid, alright Princess? It isn't worth it. They don't have shit."

I knew what he was doing and I utterly hated it. He was offering himself up so our secret wasn't blown. The cameras were still hovering closely around us but in the moment I didn't care. I didn't care who knew. I opened my mouth to proclaim that fact verbally but stopped when I was pulled away by Roman's big hand.

"Easy Baby Girl," he murmured gently, so the cameras couldn't hear us, "Trust him, alright? If Ambrose says he knows what he's doing, then trust him. He doesn't want you to put yourself out there like that."

"But – ,"

" _Sssh_."

With his hands on my wrists I was powerless to stop him and powerless to stop _them_ from leading Dean away. My eyes were brimming with oceans of tears and although Dean tried, his chirpy missives didn't help.

"I'll see you fellers in the mornin',"

Seth stepped after him,

"Hey, I'll come with you man."

Dean's eyes shone bright,

"No. Stay with Lauren. _Both_ of you, okay? Promise me you won't let her out of your sight."

A shiver passed through me as his blue orbs slid my way and he nodded as a substitute for all the words he couldn't say. In response I simply nodded back at him quickly and then he was dragged off around the corner and that was it.

He was gone.

It was at that point that I let the tears flow freely and I didn't so much cry as full on sob. It was awful and gut-wrenching and I couldn't control it. Why did everyone I love have to go away?

"Hey, hey, easy," Seth offered awkwardly but not even Roman's steadying hand much helped. I wanted Dean. I needed him back with me and it in that single moment I realized nothing else would ever count. I also realized what it meant I had to do for him and so swiping my sleeve across my sodden features I turned on my heel and promptly marched off.

"Whoa," I heard Seth bark in bewilderment as they both spun after me, "Lauren, slow down. What are you doing? Hey, Lauren, answer me – ,"

I refused to slow down or look at them _or_ talk to them and instead simply stalked a sullen path along the halls. On seeing us coming, backstage crew scattered and it was why the door was thankfully unguarded when I burst into Hunter's office unannounced.

Both he and Stephanie looked up in bewilderment and then shared a look of semi-concerned alarm,

"Listen, Lauren – ,"

" _No_ ," I yelled, "You _lied_ to me."

Hunter sighed,

"No I didn't. Look, I told you we had some leads, I just didn't tell you who they were. I did _not_ lie to you. I wouldn't do that okay? Now I know that you've grown close to The Shield guys but the evidence is clear – ,"

I shook my head boldly, not wanting to hear it,

"Dean didn't do this. I _need_ you to believe me."

From over by the window, Stephanie laughed and suddenly my sweet little stepmother was absent to be replaced by the sneer-faced Wicked Witch of the West.

"His cell phone was found at the scene."

I blinked,

"His cell phone?"

So _that's_ where it had got to. How did it get there?

"That's right. So still think Ambrose didn't do it?"

"Yes I do. I _know_ he didn't."

"Oh really?" Stephanie countered derisively, "Tell me Lauren, _how_ are you so sure? Is it because you think they're your friends? Or because you're still naïve about how our world works? Why are you so confident that Ambrose is innocent?"

" _Because_ – ,"

"Lauren – ,"Roman put his hand out, trying to stop me but I wriggled from his grasp. I had literally never been as sure about anything and so I launched into my sentence without pausing for breath,

"Because when your precious car was being torched, Dean was with me."

"How convenient," Stephanie snorted and I shook my head pointedly,

"No, I mean _with_ me. We were together. In the locker room. With the door locked from the inside. _Now_ do you understand what I mean?"

For a moment there was nothing but a stunned sounding silence as Stephanie and Hunter both stared at me. It occurred to me only in that single moment that I had basically revealed my sex life to my dad, but at the same time I didn't regret a single word of it. It was the truth after all and the key to getting Dean out.

"Lauren," Hunter blinked at me, "You don't have to do this. Lying – ,"

"I'm _not_ lying," I threw back with a frown, at the same time balling my fists in tight, "Dean and I are _together_ , we're a couple and more than that I – I love him, alright?"

Hunter looked like I'd punched him in the gut and honestly that might have been the kinder way to go. He stepped towards me and Seth and Roman moved closer, not that I suspected for one moment he would hurt me, but it felt good to know that the both of them were there.

"You can't be serious?"

I stared at him unflinchingly,

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life. I love Dean Ambrose. I have done since I met him and I'm not lying about any of it. _He didn't do this_."

"I can't – ," Hunter shook his head, "Lauren, I don't believe this."

Stepping forward I caught him by the hand and he turned to look as I stared up teary-eyed. I was about to deliver the most important – and heartfelt – speech I had ever given him.

I needed to make it count.

"Since I came here, you've asked me time and again to trust you – trust you enough to go out into the ring, trust you enough to keep me safe – and each and every time you've asked me, I've done that. I've _trusted_ you. Well now _you_ need to trust _me_. Dean is innocent, he didn't do anything. Please dad, you have to get him out."

For a horrible second I thought he would deny me but then suddenly his shoulders sort of _slumped_ and his icy gaze grew welcomingly warm – well, maybe an _exasperated_ sort of warm, but warm nonetheless and I seized it with both hands. It was the first time I had called him something other than _Hunter_ and clearly that had meant a whole lot.

"Alright," he mumbled, sounding defeated, "Alright. I believe you. I'll see what I can do."

Stephanie's mouth dropped open,

"Hunter – ,"

"Not now Steph," he sighed, pulling his cell out and stalking from the office, "Just – not now."

It was only after he had strode from the room that I realized the god damn cameras were still there. I certainly hoped Vince McMahon was happy. His storyline dream had come true within a week.

As I glanced around me I could see Seth and Roman and they were both smiling at me and looking oddly proud. I suppose it was the first time they had seen me with balls and what a pair of stunners they were. Naturally however they instantly shrivelled as Stephanie stood up and came across the room. Again Seth and Roman moved in to defend me, but she shooed them off with a wave of her hand,

"Calm down boys, I've no intention of hitting her – she's family, remember? I'm surprised, not annoyed. I think I need a large glass of whisky. Care to join me Lauren?"

I blinked at her,

"But – Dean?"

"Hunter told you he would fix that and he's going to. He gave you his word. You can't do anything now and trust me – I've done _a lot_ of waiting – it's easier with whisky and maybe also a beer. I keep the good stuff stashed in gorilla. Walk with me?"

"Um," I paused, "Okay, sure."

To be honest with all of the fight having left me I was working on nothing but shock and latent fear. So as she marched from the room, I dazedly followed her with Seth and Roman in turn following me.

"Dean Ambrose, huh?" Stephanie offered and I sped up a little to fall into step with her, "Wow. You know I honestly didn't see that coming? Although maybe I should have guessed from how he blew up at me last week."

"You're not – ," I faltered, "You're not, kind of, _angry_? You're not going to tell me I have to stop seeing him or do anything to keep us apart or – you know – break us up?"

She glanced across at me,

"Why would I do that?"

It was a fairly good question but I didn't have an answer, mostly because I was totally thrown off. I had spent so long convinced Steph and Hunter would be against us that I was totally baffled to be faced with something else.

"I don't know, I guess I just assumed – ,"

"Look Lauren, when I first got together with Hunter, my father _forbid_ it – he came down hard. But that didn't matter to me because I knew – _I knew_ – that Hunter was the right man for me and so I didn't care what anybody thought because they were wrong. I assume you feel the same way? Besides, I'm not your mother and you've just recently got a father, so I honestly don't think I get to have much of a say."

"Maybe not _technically_ ," I offered back quietly, "But I'd to hear what you think anyway."

Stephanie smiled at me, looking almost gratified and nodded,

"In that case, I say follow your heart."

"Thank you," I smiled, "Really, _thank you_. That's exactly what I hoped you'd say."

She stopped and was moving in closer to hug me when suddenly the lights went dark.

 _Shit_

A ripple of uncertainty shivered clean through me and then swiftly doubled when the brightness came back on. Standing around us were the hairy Wyatt brethren and worse than that they standing behind us, which shut us off from where Seth and Roman were.

 _Double shit._

When they finally moved it seemed to happen in slow-motion but at the same time it all went impossibly fast. Harper lashed out and pushed hard at Stephanie, who flew backwards and hit her head against the wall. At the same time Roman let out a bellow and he and Seth started sprinting our way.

As I moved instinctively to check up on Stephanie, a hand grabbed my wrist and whirled me round hard and in the time it took to blink or even _draw breath_ , I found myself pressed up against Bray Wyatt and a hair's breadth from his dank whiskery beard.

"Easy Mockingbird, Bray's got you now."

A horrified scream ripped out of my lungs and then suddenly the lights went off again.

"No – let _go_ of me – get your hands _off_."

"Lauren?"

"Lauren? Baby Girl? _Talk_ to us."

Somewhere nearby – and at the same time _so_ far off – I heard Seth and Roman frantically calling my name and I tried to yell back to them, only to be stopped when a big, sweaty hand clamped over my mouth.

I was being dragged away, hauled down the corridor bodily and I wasn't strong or fast enough to be able to fight Bray off. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears that I almost couldn't hear anything else and every last inch of my body felt frozen and stiffened by indescribable fear.

The whole world around us was still bathed in darkness but in the distance I could see a tiny flicker of light. I struggled and kicked but my protests were useless and then something rough was dropped over my face, blocking out the pinprick of hope on the horizon and stifling the oxygen until I pretty much couldn't breathe. My head spun wildly and consciousness failed me and I could see bright flashes lighting up my eyes.

I had one clear thought before I passed out completely and it flooded my senses.

 _Where are you Dean?_

* * *

 **Okay, so I** _ **think**_ **this counts as a cliffhanger. See you for the next one…(yes, I know I'm cruel!)**


	30. Hush Little Baby

**Chapter thirty, wow, who would have thought we'd ever make it here? Pretty much three quarters of the way through now and going into action mode! No Dean in this one (well, mentions of him) but hopefully the excitement will make up for that. Going to post the next chapter earlier than usual because I'm out on my normal posting day (I will be dancing badly at a wedding and eating and drinking far too much!)**

 **Psion53, There certainly was a lot going on! Probably one of my busiest chapters but in a good way (I hope!)**

 **Labinnacslove, Safe to say everyone's pretty angry about it, as we will find out in the chapter after this one when secrets are set to be revealed (I'm doing my leading/teasing thing again!)**

 **Kayla English, Well I figured Steph had to be kind of accepting given how she and Hunter got started. She would have been a bit of a hypocrite to say anything else!**

 **ThatGirl54, Glad you liked it. I thought it was about time to throw the cat amongst the pigeons, or in this case, the bearded weirdo amongst the relatively normal folk!**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Gotta keep you coming back somehow! And as requested, here is your update. Hope it was worth the wait!**

 **IcePrincess1987, So you're another one in the 'suspect Stephanie' camp! It seems to be fairly evenly divided so far! As usual I can't confirm or deny anything, but feel free to draw your own conclusions about what's going on from this chapter…**

 **Skovko, He may or may not throw a bit of a fit (as we will find out in later chapters). He's certainly not a happy little bunny, put it that way!**

 **Is everybody ready for some creepy Bray Wyatt time? I hope so, because here he comes...**

* * *

 **Hush Little Baby**

I woke up on my own curled up on a bed that belonged to a dirty and run-down looking room.

For the briefest of seconds I couldn't remember what had happened or why I was in such a horrible place and I absently wondered if I was back with Dean in the shabby little motel where the manager had dragged me off.

As I moved to shift up the bed there was a rattle of something metallic and it made me jump. It also happened at the exact same moment that I realized I couldn't properly move my hands.

 _Huh?_

Glancing up, my stomach turned over and a ball of nausea rose in my throat. Securing me to the headboard and snapped around each wrist was a pair of handcuffs, trapping me tight. In a horrible moment it all came flooding back to me and as I remembered who took me, I gasped in fright.

"Wyatt."

No.

No way.

This couldn't be happening. I couldn't have actually been _kidnapped_ by a cult. Even for wrestling standards it was crazy and I jerked at the cuffs and frantically pulled them as I tried everything I could think of to pry my hands loose. The more I pulled however, the less headway I made with them and as the realization that I was trapped filtered through to me I started to sob.

As in really, _really_ sob.

It was a broken, frantic, panic-stricken crying and it wasn't very brave but I was too scared to be brave. I was trapped and alone and utterly helpless and it was so much more than I thought I could bear. I wanted my mother – I even wanted Hunter – but most of all I wanted _him_.

"Please," I whispered, "Please Dean, _please_."

It was a strange realization how much he had come to mean to me and although I had already confessed my love – on live television in front of my _father_ – the fact it was Dean that I craved in that moment underlined to me how deep that love truly was. I wanted him, I needed him to put his arms around me, to hold me to his chest and tell me everything was alright. But for all I knew he was still in jail somewhere. Did he even _know_ that I'd been kidnapped? Did Hunter know? How long had I been out?

Questions poured through my head like water and made me feel dizzy as I tugged at my cuffs. I was still weakly crying when the door clicked open and I instantly froze as my blood ran cold.

"Mockingbird, it's good to see you awake – you were starting to get me all _kinds_ of worried."

I skittered back in horror.

 _Bray_.

 _Bray Wyatt._

It was almost like a scene from a movie and he certainly had the villain part down. Not only had he kidnapped me but he was also _grinning_ and – worryingly – eerily calm. He was acting like he had invited me for dinner and as he lumbered towards me I let out a scream,

" _Help_ , somebody hel – ,"

I was stopped short as he hurriedly knelt down on the bed and clamped his hand across my mouth. My legs flashed out, trying to kick him but he shuffled in closer and pinned them beneath his hips. I was totally helpless and my heartbeat was so frantic that I wasn't sure how much longer it would last. Every atom of my embattled system screamed _danger_ but I couldn't get away from the source.

I couldn't escape.

In the unadulterated swirl of emotions a helpless little tear trailed a path down my face and as it hit his hand, Bray wiped it away again and leaned in close,

"Hush Little Bird, hush, I don't want to hurt you and I don't want you hurtin' that pretty little voice of yours. Now you can scream all you want and maybe someone will hear you, but this ain't really a respectable place and we bribed the manager nice and good to make sure he wasn't gonna call the cops. You understand what I'm tellin' you, huh? You ain't got no other option than to sit here with Bray and have ourselves a little talk."

He wiped another tear from my cheek back-handed and it made me shudder and shut my eyes. When Dean did it his fingers had been soft and loving but I doubted Bray knew the meaning of either word. At least it meant his fingers were off my mouth again and I sucked in a much-needed but shuddery breath,

"Please," I whispered, trying to keep my voice from breaking, "Please let me go, I'll do whatever you want – ,"

"Want Mockingbird? _This_ is what I want. This is what I've _always_ wanted."

"You w-wanted me trapped and t-terrified?"

"I wanted you where I can _talk_ to you. I told you all along there was something you should know."

He tucked his knuckle under my chin and used it to tip my head back to face him,

"Please – ," I whimpered but he put a fat forefinger warningly against my wobbling lips, leaning in closer to whisper a directive as his breath skated unhappily over my ear.

" _Sssh_."

In an unexpected bolt of realization, I was hit by a flashback that made me physically jerk. The cuffs rattled up against the bedhead noisily as I gasped at him.

"You – ," I breathed, "You roofied my drink? At the club that night. It – it was _you_."

He smiled a little and tilted his head, almost as if pleased that I remembered it all,

"You looked so beautiful out there sleeping. I wanted to talk – only ever wanted to talk."

The nausea rose in my throat once more and I shook my head in disgust,

"Dean was right – he _knew_ it was you."

"Dean, Dean, Dean," Bray's snarl caught me off-guard and I flinched as he whirled away from me angrily, "You really think your little _hound_ is so special? You really believe he's _better_ than me? _Nobody_ is better than Bray, you hear me? Nobody Little Bird. I want you to say it."

I shook my head at him defiantly,

"No,"

" _Say it_ ," he bellowed, looming in over me and making me curl up in terror,

"N-no,"

I wasn't sure why I was being so insolent or where my bravado was even coming from, but the one thing I knew was that no way in hell would I _ever_ admit Bray was better than Dean. He wasn't – it simply wasn't going to happen – and deciding that he was losing the battle, Bray suddenly backed up away from me and smiled.

God I _hated_ when he did that.

"See now Mockingbird? _That's_ why I like you. There's a light around your head. It glows so brightly. You're too good for this world. It's diseased and corrupted. I could have helped you if you'd let me get close. Why wouldn't you let me get close to you, _hmmm_?"

He reached out a finger and trailed it down my cheek and I trembled in response,

"Because – because you scare me."

"You're not scared by the hounds?"

I shook my head,

"Never."

At least on that one I didn't have to lie.

"Loyalty," Bray murmured, dropping down against the mattress, "It's a rare thing to find someone that you can truly trust."

Conspicuously I drew my legs up, drawing them out of the way of his touch, but at the same time I sensed that something was changing, so I licked my lips nervously and tried to push my luck,

"Trust works both ways and – I mean – it seems like you trust _me_ and maybe I could trust _you_ if you took the cuffs off?"

His face swung round and I held my breath, which became harder to do as he chuckled and leant in close. A clammy hand dropped down onto my kneecap and I squeaked and flinched, unable to help myself. His eyes snapped up to the rattling handcuffs, working a nice little groove into the slats and he stretched out his fingers and tested their strength, like he was possibly thinking about letting me go. For a second I genuinely thought he would do it. Then, just as suddenly, the cruel grin was back and he reached across and pawed my hair roughly, like I was some sort of sad stray dog,

"Not just yet Mockingbird. I'm sorry, but see, you still think I'm the bad guy here. You won't trust me until you know the truth. The big reveal is still yet to come."

I squirmed beneath his big hand uncomfortably, breathing out in half-gasp little breaths,

"What does that mean? The big reveal?"

"You'll see. I'm not your enemy Lauren."

Despite myself I snorted dramatically,

"Um, are you kidding? That's _exactly_ what you are. You kidnapped me, you drugged me, you – ,"

"Set light to the boss' car?"

My mouth dropped open and I stuttered at him,

"What? That – that was you?"

"For _you_ – don't you see?"

Suddenly I felt sick all over again and my head spun wildly,

"Oh god, you framed Dean."

"I needed him away from you Mockingbird. I could only get close to you if he wasn't there."

I pulled my cuffs roughly and they rattled without loosening as a sudden flush of anger tore through my soul. When it came to Dean I just couldn't think straight and I was staring at the man who had tried to bury him.

 _No_.

"You god damn _bastard_. Why would you do that? You had him arrested for something he _didn't do_. My boyfriend is sitting in a jail cell right now. Do you think I would want to talk to you after pulling something like that? You make me sick. I can't even _look_ at you – ,"

I realized that maybe I'd gone too far only _after_ I had gone too far and as a dart of anger lit up Bray's eyes he surged in across the bed like a tiger and grabbed my face roughly between his big hands. Instantly I screamed and my eyes teared up again as he briefly lost control of himself and squeezed. His fingers dug into my cheeks like a vice and he snarled at me dangerously,

"Careful now Little Bird, I don't _want_ to hurt you but if I have to then I will. I told you all along I was doing this _for_ you. You're gonna need to start believing that real soon."

"I – I'm sorry," I spluttered out desperately and mercifully his hands dropped away again.

 _Ouch_.

"I don't like when you doubt me – it hurts my feelings."

I let out a sob,

"I'm just so scared – you're _scaring_ me Bray. I don't know what I'm supposed to think. What with the roofies and the truck and the roaches, I'm not even – ,"

"Those last two vile acts weren't anything to do with me."

I blinked at him so surprised by the admission that it briefly stopped the tears cascading from my eyes. What the hell was he talking about now?

"You – you _didn't_ try to run me over?"

He shook his head and reached his hand up to wipe away my errant tears. This time it wasn't so rough or alarming but I still shook bodily in abject fear,

"I wouldn't do that to you Mockingbird, I keep tellin' you. All this here? I'm tryin' to _protect_ you."

"But what about – what about the bugs?"

"Not me either."

"I saw you in the lobby – ,"

"I was watchin' over you, that's all it was – nothin' else. I would never scare you like that."

I felt tempted to point out the fact he had _abducted_ me but it swiftly got lost in the maelstrom of thoughts. Bray hadn't sent me the gift-wrapped box of roaches _or_ tried to run me down with a truck? I guess there was always the chance he was lying but then that didn't seem to make much sense _either_ since he had already admitted to framing Dean _and_ the drugs. Why only admit to half of what had happened? Unless he really _was_ telling the truth. The problem was that left another glaring question and it chilled me to the core,

"So if – if _you_ didn't do those other things, then who did?"

"Easy Little Bird, that will come – so many questions – all things have their time."

"The big reveal you were talking about?" I offered hesitantly and he smiled again, folding back down onto the bed, the action almost lazy like we were two excited teenagers discussing our crushes at a slumber party. Make-overs next?

Bray's rough tones brought me back to the real world as he chuckled eerily,

"Then _everyone_ will see."

"So what – ," I paused, "What do we do until then? I – I mean, I think there are people that will be worried about me and I'd like to call them and tell them I'm okay. Is that – is that something I could do?"

I had phrased it as delicately as I thought I was able and so it broke my heart when he shook his head _no._

"They can see you soon enough Mockingbird. In fact I can show you to them right now."

My body stiffened as the sing-song words hit me and I struggled to comprehend what he actually meant. Surely he didn't have anyone else hostage? Was he suddenly going to parade them out? A tiny selfish part of me hoped that he would because then I wouldn't have to be in it alone but instead of producing a handcuffed Dean when Bray rolled off the bed what he swept up was a camera. My stomach rolled over and I shut my eyes in dread. Clearly he meant a video message and that was the last thing my addled mind wanted.

I shook my head and a tear trickled out,

"No, please – ,"

"Now, now Little Bird," Bray rumbled gruffly, "We need to let them know you're safe."

He knelt back down on the bed again heavily and the cuffs rattled harshly as I shifted under the weight. He clambered across to me like a boisterous puppy and I bit my lip and swallowed down a breath. When I opened my eyes again he was staring straight at me and so close that his beard was tickling my face.

 _Oh god_.

It took everything I had within me not to vomit or cry or scream – or frankly all three – and sensing the effect that his proximity had on me, Bray smiled wider and traced his finger down my cheek.

"Bray," I whimpered, "I don't want to do this."

But as it turned out my quiet protest was pointless because the next thing I knew he had flopped back against the headboard and settled himself against me before pressing record. As if that wasn't bad enough however, he then began to actually _sing_.

"Hush little baby don't say a word, papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird and if that mockingbird don't sing, papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring,"

He broke off suddenly to chuckle roughly and scratch a hand through his unkempt facial bush. Thankfully when he spoke again it was not to serenade me but to talk with a twisted grin at the lens,

"Is that what you're gonna do Papa Hunter? You gonna be good to our little Mockingbird? Are you gonna give her everything she wants? Or are you gonna let the wolves come after her? You don't know it yet – but you already have. See, I've brought her somewhere safe. Somewhere she won't be in any more danger – ,"

I shifted a little on the bed in dissent and it dragged the cuffs loudly up and down the headboard. I wasn't entirely sure what he considered _safe_ but to my mind it didn't require restraining someone. Bray's head turned to mine and my stomach rolled over,

"Hmm, seems little Mockingbird has something she wants to say. What is it Little Bird? Go on, don't be shy. Let them hear your beautiful song."

"I – ,"

"Sing Mockingbird," he whispered, " _Sing_."

As the camera lens turned fully in my direction my mind went blank. What did he even want me to say? It felt like a test he expected me to sail through but how was anyone supposed to follow what went through his mind? Even worse was the thought that my loved ones would see all this and as the emotions got too much for me, I promptly broke down.

"Dean," I pleaded, the tears freely falling, "Dean _please_ , I want to – ,"

" _No_."

Quickly Bray slammed his hand across my mouth again and I gave into the torment and started to cry. Pulling weakly against my restraints and sobbing uselessly into his palm. He turned the camera around to himself again and this time his tone was more of a snarl,

"The time has nearly come to prove to the world that I was right – I'm _always_ right. Tomorrow night I will show you all and then little Mockingbird will belong to _me_."

He turned off the camera with an audible click and then flung it casually across the room. Taking his hand away from my mouth he turned to me and I flinched as I saw the look of anger on his face.

"I _will_ show you," I growled at me ferally, "I will show you I'm the best friend you've got."

Then he stood up and left me all alone again at which point I dropped my head down and sobbed.

* * *

 **Aww, I'm so mean to her. I actually feel bad, well, not** _ **too**_ **bad, but maybe a little. Next chapter up in the next two days and yes, the good news is our main man will be back! We'll also get all of the answers we've been looking for, although there's still plenty more action to come.**

 **I'll see you all then.**


	31. The Enemy Of My Enemy

**So here we go, good and early, the big reveal, strap yourselves in folks, all answers down below!**

 **Skovko, Well, I hope you don't hate me! I don't** _ **think**_ **you will. But then what do I know?! Go ahead and see what you think.**

 **Labinnacslove, Hmmm, maybe...maybe not…**

 **Kayla English, Don't worry, you're not, I've spent the whole thing trying to be misleading, so hopefully this chapter is going to come as a surprise (well, bits of it!)**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Awww, thank you, I try my best to make sure it all flows properly, glad it's coming across that way at least!**

 **MizHyde, See? I can do a bit of weird and spooky too! Couldn't exactly make it** _ **light**_ **with Bray Wyatt in it though, he draws me to the dark side, what can I say?!**

 **ThatGirl54, His creepiness is a literal gift though. I'm not sure there's anyone else on the roster who makes such a good villain, because he's just so insane. Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last one.**

 **Psion53, Well, wonder no longer. Hope this chapter is worth all the confusion I've created!**

 **Enjoy...**

* * *

 **The Enemy Of My Enemy**

That night was easily the longest of my life and stretched right into the next day beyond it. For almost that whole time I was cuffed to the bed and under the watchful eye of Bray, Harper or Rowan who were obviously well-versed in the practise of abduction since they kept up a shift pattern that was impressively rehearsed.

The only moments I was allowed any freedom were when I was eating or else when I needed the bathroom. Not that I had much in the way of an appetite _or_ much in the way of a chance to escape. The windows in the room were all locked firmly and the ones in the bathroom were shielded with bars.

Yeah, they had _definitely_ done this before.

I slept on and off but woke each time startled either by a dream or a sound from the room. It was odd to find reality so much worse than a nightmare but each time my cried out eyes sprang open, sure enough, a different Wyatt was watching my every move. By the time I saw the first grey rays of daylight, I had to fight back tears of relief and although the morning was similarly as arduous, every second of torment carried me closer to Dean.

 _Tomorrow night_.

That's what Bray had said in his video message and as far as I was concerned that could only mean one thing. Bray's big reveal would take place during Smackdown and _that_ meant being in the same place as Dean. My heart skipped a beat just thinking about him and I clung to the thought of him whenever I couldn't breathe.

I didn't know how and I didn't know where he would, but the one thing I was sure of was that he would get me back. It was a concept that I was more than okay with, but as the daytime turned into the pale dusk of evening I couldn't help but feel a sudden stab of fear. Time was ticking on, pretty soon it would be show time yet neither Bray nor his minions had made so much as a move.

 _Oh god_.

Was I wrong?

Was Bray _not_ going to be taking me to Smackdown?

How would Dean find me if that was the case?

A million thoughts rushed through my jumbled headspace and threatened to deposit me right into a panic attack. My sorry little future flashed before my eyes and in each and every image I was handcuffed in a motel room with a _Big Foot_ for a guard and no chance of escape. It was probably the reason that when Bray strode back in again, jangled the cuff keys and growling _time to go_ that I promptly burst into hysterical tears of gratitude which stunned Harper so much that he took a step back. Bray however was not put off by histrionics and reached over to unwantedly paw at my hair,

"Don't cry Mockingbird, this is a _good_ day – it's the day you find out who your friends really are."

Although the cuffs were removed from the headboard, they stayed in place around my wrists and to add to torment – or else for shits and giggles – they were joined by an actual _blindfold_ as well. My heart froze solid at _that_ little development and I jerked my head away from it as Bray brought it close,

"No, please. I don't want to, Bray – ,"

" _Sssh_ Mockingbird, you're not one of us yet. We still have secrets we need to keep safe."

I baulked pretty openly at his inserting the word _yet_ in there and then frowned at what kind of _secrets_ he meant. As it turned out however, what he was referring to was how exactly the three of them got into the place and not just into the _venue_ either but physically into the middle of the ring.

From the motel to the arena the transport was more conventional as I sat beside Bray in the back of a truck. His fingers dug into my arms so tightly that I was pretty sure they were going to leave red marks and the whole damn journey was just so awful that I spent it with my heart was in my throat. With the blindfold on I was shielded from what was happening and my scattered thoughts were running wild.

What if we weren't actually going to the arena?

What if they were driving me somewhere far away?

Mercifully the ride ended not long after and I was hustled half-stumbling from the truck into the building and out of the startlingly cold evening air. My feet slapped blindly over the concrete and I followed as Bray dragged me god only knew where. My heart pounded wildly as we skittered round corners and at any moment I expected to trip and fall flat, but for all his many failings and gross abnormalities, Bray knew how to lead a blindfolded person well and not once did I come into contact with anything.

He had definitely, _definitely_ done this before.

I realized that the atmosphere around us had changed again only when Bray suddenly slowed down the pace, pulling me towards him so he could whisper something roughly and leaning so close that his lips brushed my cheek.

I shuddered.

"Nearly show time now Little Bird."

Then suddenly a noise rose up around us like thousands of people were sucking in a breath and abruptly I was dragged up a short little staircase and pushed down beneath something before being allowed to stand. In that same moment, Bray tugged off the blindfold and I blinked into nothing.

The world was completely black.

For a second I wondered if my eyes hadn't adjusted or if maybe for no reason at all I'd gone blind. Then suddenly the lights flipped on without warning and I started at the unexpected and awesome brightness of them all.

That wasn't the only thing I jumped at either.

 _Holy crap._

We were standing in the middle of the ring.

I gaped in had we got _in_ there? Clearly Bray wasn't kidding about the whole _secrets_ things and were it not for the fact that I was totally terrified, I might have been mildly impressed by the trick. Around us the crowd quickly dialled up the volume in a roar of excitement and rolling waves of _boos_. It was comforting to think that I was backed by the fanbase and suddenly I didn't feel nearly as alone.

Sensing it, or else just out of pure malice, Bray wound his arm in tight around my chest, trapping my still-cuffed hands against my body and making sure I couldn't really move. In one swift movement, he pulled me back against him until his bulk was pressed in close to my spine. My entire body trembled on instinct. I _hated_ him, his touch alone made me sick and that was a feeling that doubled then _trebled_ when he raised a microphone up to his grinning moon face and started to growl out the now eerie little tune,

"Hush little baby don't say a word, Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird and if that mockingbird don't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring – ,"

He broke off suddenly and nuzzled into my neckline and I flinched and tried to struggle from his arms. It was pointless – I knew that – he was stupidly powerful but at the same time I couldn't just stand there and do nothing. I couldn't let him touch me like that.

"Get _off_ me – ,"

"So what do you think about all this Little Bird?"

Luckily he didn't require an answer and as I wriggled against him he simply carried on.

"Is Papa going to give you everything you need? Can Papa Hunter keep you _safe_? What about those little Shield boys? Do they even know what's going on? The truth is about to be revealed and once you know, you'll thank me for what I've done. Then you'll _beg_ me to let you be one of us. Your true friends, your family – ,"

Fortunately he didn't get to ramble on for longer because suddenly the arena began to shake with noise. Above the responding roar of the audience, a descending bass line rang out loud and clear and my heart leapt into my throat as I heard it.

I glanced up.

 _The Shield_.

Dean was here.

Instead of making their usual entry down the arena steps and in through the crowd, the guys were coming down the ramp straight towards us, having clearly burst in right from the wings. They were stalking firmly but steadily towards us and I could tell that Dean would probably have been running were it not for the fact that Seth had his shoulder and Roman had an arm held in front of his chest. Dean's expression was more dangerous than I'd ever seen it and sparking with equal parts murder and concern. By the time they hit the ring he was more wound than a coil and positively _bouncing_ up and down on his feet. The murderous eyes slid over to me quickly and instantly softened which made my heart jump. Dean was there – he was actually in front of me – which meant anything that happened from then on would be bearable. Including Bray singing and stroking my hair,

"And if that horse and cart falls down, you'll still be the sweetest little baby in town – ,"

He'd deliberately missed out most of the song to get to a verse that felt more loaded and as he dropped his lips against my neck, I squeaked and the action made Dean surge forward,

"Wyatt, if you fuckin' touch her again – ,"

He was swiftly pushed back again by both Seth and Roman but neither man found restraining him an especially easy task. Dean was essentially insensible with fury and I could tell from his dulled eyes that he'd had a long night. He even had a noticeable shadow of stubble which told me that he hadn't shaved and I suddenly felt guilty about what I had done to him. I should have fought harder. I should have got away.

"Easy," I heard Seth murmur gently, "If you go charging over there, Lauren might get hurt."

Dean pushed his hands away again roughly but stayed where he was,

"God damn it, I fuckin' _know_."

Taking a deep breath he looked across at me again and the anger turned into gut-wrenching pain. I desperately wanted to feel his arms and around me and I could tell from his expression he wanted the same thing too. But as it was we were stuck in a stand-off awaiting the final players of Bray's game. It didn't take them long to appear before us either, because – sure enough – Hunter's music kicked in loudly and out he came, pounding down the ramp like a buffalo with Stephanie trying to keep pace at his side. Like Dean's had been earlier, Hunter's eyes were full of vengeance and he swung through the ropes like he was moving on _warp speed_. Pushing through The Shield, he came to a halt in front of us, taking up the space in the middle of the ring.

Once more again, Bray beat him to speaking, intent on finishing his eerie little tune,

"So hush little baby, don't you cry, Daddy loves you and so do I. See Mockingbird? The gang's all here. Looks like our little party can begin."

"Wyatt," Hunter boomed into the microphone and I jumped as Bray warningly tightened his grip, "Let her go – you let my daughter go right now or I swear to god you've worked your last match in this ring."

"Match?" Bray chuckled, never a good sign, "This is more important than some mere _match_. This is about Mockingbird and keeping her safe from those villains who would do her harm."

He tapped his finger against my arm absently and Dean screwed up his face and cracked his knuckles into his hand. He was practically _alive_ with pent-up aggression, the whole shoulder jerking, head twitching, fist clenching thing.

My eyes never left him.

"Wyatt," Hunter virtually snarled, "I am fast starting to lose my patience. So if you don't let my daughter go in the next five seconds, then so help me – ,"

Bray's sudden bellow caught us all by surprise and I flinched as the yell burst out right against my ear,

" _Don't tell me what to do_. I know what's best for Mockingbird – _me_. The rest of you up here are just false Prophets and puppets in this little game."

The angrier he got the closer he pulled me and I winced as he started to jerk me around. Again Dean stepped forward and again Roman stopped him but the situation was getting more and more tense and the only real outcome seemed to be a brawl. It was something that I wasn't too keen to be involved in but just as the breakdown seemed to be unstoppable, Stephanie stepped forward with a microphone of her own,

"Bray," she started, surprisingly evenly, "I know you claim to care about Lauren but right now you're scaring her and hurting her as well. If you want what's best for her maybe you should tell us what this whole thing has been about. Why does she need protecting?"

Bray laughed, which was surprising since I had found her suggestion both pretty persuasive and mercifully calm. But sure enough Bray started chuckling deeply and then threw his head back and let out a howl. Yep, that's right an _actual_ howl which bounced in off the arena around us and was joined by the sniggering of his minions as well. Leaning in close, Bray grinned beside my ear again and I shuddered and tried to turn my head away,

"Can you hear that Mockingbird? Can you hear her lies?"

Stephanie remained stoic,

"I'm not lying Bray. We all just want what's best for Lauren and what you're doing isn't it."

"So you think driving her out is the better solution?"

Instantly those of us inside the ring froze.

 _What?_

"I – I don't know what you're talking about."

But the sudden lack of confidence in Stephanie's voice rang alarm bells that I didn't know I'd even possessed and as Hunter glanced at his wife in confusion, Bray's chuckle broadened,

"Oh, I think you do. Because you see _you_ – Stephanie McMahon Helmsley – have been sending our sweet little Mockingbird _gifts_ and placing her in grave danger. Isn't that right?"

My stomach lurched as I flashed back to Bray's suggestions and me pleading with him to tell me who had done those other things. Was he seriously suggesting that it might be _Stephanie_? It couldn't be. We were friends. We had come to an understanding. Why would she be behind the whole thing?

"Again," she replied, getting over the hesitance, "I don't know what you're talking about. Lauren is my stepdaughter. I would never want her harmed."

I could feel Bray's grin as his lips brushed my cheek and it made me shiver, as did his reply,

"Lucky for me I got it all on tape. So who wants to see a little _show_?"

The audience cheered in response to the question and instantly on the big screen up above the titantron, a grainy picture began to roll. It took me a couple of seconds to realize what it was, or more to the point, _where_ it had been shot. It was footage from what felt like several years earlier, in the hotel I'd been staying at when I found out Hunter was my dad. More specifically _that_ was the hotel I'd been staying at the morning the cockroaches had been gift-wrapped and sent. Not to mention the hotel _and_ the precise moment that thought I had seen Bray.

Had he – had he been _filming_ me?

"What the hell is this?" Hunter barked angrily and Bray held a finger to his lips and _shushed_. Up on the screen a figure strode through the lobby with shades and brown hair – it was Stephanie for sure. She spoke to the person on the desk very briefly and then handed something over that the camera didn't see. It was fairly obvious what it had to be however and sure enough then the footage sort of _jumped_ , cutting to me opening the box moments later and then screaming as several cockroaches tumbled out,

"Oh my god," I breathed unsteadily, "Oh god she – she – ,"

Bray chuckled,

"Wait, there's more."

"Okay, that's enough," Stephanie put in boldly although even from where _I_ was standing I could pick up on her fear. "This proves nothing Wyatt – _nothing_."

Only the problem was that simply wasn't true. I shook my head from side to side shakily, not sure that I could take any more. Stephanie wasn't supposed to have been anywhere my hotel on that day. In fact she had supposedly been halfway across the _country_. What had she been doing there? What had she been passing across? What _could_ she have been doing if not setting up the roach gift? It was the only thing that seemed to make sense.

"Steph – ," Hunter started in tones of uncertainty but he was swiftly interrupted by a new camera angle which seemed to be set in a parking garage.

 _Please no._

I shut my eyes but opened them again quickly as a gasp from the audience billowed all around. Yep, sure enough, there was Stephanie, scrambling from a big rig that was half-buried into the wall. I dropped my head feeling suddenly nauseous and confused and devastated all in one blow.

That was it, there was no way around.

Stephanie McMahon had tried to run me down.

A sea of disbelieving faces stared back at me – filling the arena and each and every seat – but of them all it was probably me and Hunter who were tied in equal position for pole.

"Steph – ," he breathed out, "What – what were you _thinking_?"

She rounded on him, sharp and angry and suddenly the kindly woman I had warmed to was utterly gone. Had it all been an act?

"What was I thinking?" Stephanie sneered icily, "I'll tell you what I was _thinking_ Hunter, I was thinking that no way would this girl, this stranger, this unwanted product of some billion year old relationship, show up here and come between us. I wasn't going to let her steal away _my_ family. I did what I had to and I'm not sorry I did."

The breath tore out of me. She wasn't sorry? I couldn't lie, I felt totally crushed.

"Steph, for god sakes, you almost got her _killed_ back there."

She blinked in surprise and for the briefest of moments it looked as though she felt a stab of genuine remorse.

"That part wasn't supposed to happen Hunter. I only wanted to frighten her off. I've never driven a big rig before and it moved faster than I was expecting."

Hunter rubbed his head,

"My god."

I thought _I_ was having a bad night.

"But what I did, I did for _us_ Hunter, don't you see that? You and me. That's all we need."

"But – ," Hunter shook his head, conflicted, "She's my _daughter_ ,"

"Please, you were her _sperm donor_. You weren't anything else."

Her words were like a punch to the system and I couldn't believe Hunter wasn't pushing her away. Okay, so she was his wife and he loved her and everything but she had basically confessed to nearly having murdered me and to any sane person that would _not_ have been right. The relationship I thought I had built up with each of them suddenly felt like one big worthless lie.

 _Mom, I wish you were here right now._

Behind me Bray was chuckling deeply, clearly feeling vindicated at having been right. As he turned to draw smirks from Rowan and Harper however, I felt the arm around me grow looser and I was suddenly flooded with a burst of adrenaline.

That was it, I was getting out.

Without fully pausing to consider the drawbacks, I drove my heel hard into Bray's shin and was rewarded with a hiss of pure agony and the arm almost totally dropping away. In the blink of an eye I was darting away from him, positively _bursting_ my way across the ring. In the corner of my vision I saw Hunter step forward – his arms stretched out – but I passed him right by. There was only one person I wanted to be with and I slammed into his chest with the force of a train. Dean's arms folded around me instinctively and he spun us so my back was turned away from harm. I was vaguely aware of Seth and Roman step in close to us but mostly all I could focus on was the fact that I was safe. Dean had hold of me, the bad guys couldn't get to me.

Everything was going to be alright now.

" _Bird_ – ," I heard Bray growl in the background but I muffled him in Dean's familiar smelling vest. Brushing my hair back, Dean mumbled gruffly in tones of total and utter relief,

"Thank fuck _–_ thank _fuck_."

I was shaking uncontrollably and he tightened his grip and placed a kiss on my head,

"Dean – ,"

" _Sssh_ , it's alright, I've got you."

Reaching down, his fingers skimmed at the cuffs and my poor wrists lying trapped underneath. I whimpered as he tested the give very gently, my last reserves of bravery dying a death.

"Get them off me," I begged him, "Please Dean. I just – I just want to get them _off_."

As I broke down and started sobbing against him, he pulled me even closer again, comforting me as much as he was able and sounding vaguely shaken himself.

"Alright, alright, I promise baby, I'll get 'em off as soon as I can."

It felt amazing to be back in his arms again and I melted against him, bawling like a kid. In fact I was so overwhelmed at feeling safe again that I almost forgot we weren't actually alone. More to the point I almost forgot _Bray_ who was evidently near _bubbling_ with rage.

"Mockingbird, you're coming with _me_."

Suddenly the canvas was bouncing beneath our feet again as the Wyatt faction came up on us fast. With me pressed and snivelling against his chest like a baby, Dean could do little but tighten his arms. Together we braced for the force of the impact although as it turned out, the all-out beatdown never came. Instead when I looked up we were stood behind a barrier consisting of Roman, Seth and my father. In response the Wyatts had slid to a halt and were looking almost – _possibly_ – unsure. Well, _kind of_ unsure, because as I watched, shaking, Bray roared at me with a furious looking point,

"This isn't over Mockingbird, you hear me? _Nobody_ says no to me."

Then suddenly the lights flipped off with warning and in response Dean held me as tight as he could manage without physically pressing me _in_ through his chest. Fortunately no one tried to drag me away from him and when the lighting came back, the Wyatts were gone. It was a development I drank in with conflicting emotions. On the one hand I was relieved to finally be away from them but on the other hand Bray's warning still rang in my ears.

 _This isn't over._

I shivered against Dean and in the unsettled silence, promptly started crying again,

"Easy," he murmured before adding in gruffly, "How 'bout we get you outta here, huh?"

I nodded miserably, swiping tears across his vest top but he was too busy holding me close to him to care. As he turned me towards the apron however, our exit was stalled by a voice from behind and the matting flexed again as someone moved forward, trying to reach out to me,

"Lauren – ,"

"Whoa – no you don't."

It was Seth who caught Hunter, pressing hands against his suit breast and growing in confidence as Roman stepped in as well. No way were they letting my father get close to me and after what had just happened I was oddly glad of that. Not ten minutes earlier I had seen Hunter as my family and that's how I had seen Stephanie as well. Now our relationship lay in total ruins and I simply couldn't trust him – _either_ of them _–_ anymore. In the background I could see Stephanie standing like a statue, but Hunter on the other hand, wouldn't let it go,

"Lauren, _please_ , I just want to talk to you."

"About _what_?" Seth snapped back, "How your wife tried to kill her?"

"Get out of my way Rollins, this doesn't concern you. It's between me and my daughter."

I shook my head.

 _No_.

It was all too much for me, my poor head was spinning and I was struggling to fight down a rising knot in my throat.

"Dean," I whispered, my whole body shaking, "I – I can't, I don't want to – ,"

"I know. We're not lettin' him anywhere near you, okay? You don't have to do _anythin'_ you don't wanna do. I'm gonna get you out of here, alright Princess? Get you somewhere nice and safe."

I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and he kissed my forehead and stepped us towards the ropes. Once there he lowered me down onto the mat and I folded without difficulty, my knees still weak. Dean swung out using the conventional method and then pulled me towards him out onto the edge. He slid his arm up under my legs and in response I looped the cuffs over his neck, nestling in as he scooped me against him and carried me away from it all up the ramp.

 _Mom, what happened? Why is it all broken? How did I manage to get this so wrong?_

Glancing back I could see Seth and Roman following, with their backs to the ring as they formed our rear-guard. Hunter was leant against the ropes staring out at me and there was anger and conflict and _desperation_ on his face. Stephanie continued to stand awkwardly behind him, clearly knowing that she had _royally_ messed up, but still he didn't turn around and yell at her or challenge her and that was all I needed to know. It was ruined – the whole thing – I didn't want to see their faces and so I pillowed my head against Dean's shoulder and let out the tears that seemed determined to fall.

" _Sssh_ ," Dean murmured, hearing my snuffling and turning to place a kiss in my hair, "I've got you – you're safe, you're safe okay Lauren? Never fuckin' lettin' you go."

* * *

 **So, there we go, she's back and she's safe again, well, for the moment anyway. Congratulations to all those people who saw Stephanie as the big bad here. We've still got a way to go with her, so don't expect this to be over and done!**


	32. Coming Clean

**So this is probably my favourite chapter just because, well, just because it's sweet. It's only short but they needed some time together and I couldn't resist writing it, so here's the result.**

 **Labinnacslove, Actually that chapter was slightly longer than usual, but I'm glad it felt short and left you wanting more. Makes me feel like I'm doing my job (except this isn't a job because no one pays me, d'oh!)**

 **Skovko, How have you never heard that?! I give you license to use it, it's a good one! I figured if anything was going to make her reflective then it would probably be being kidnapped and rescued in front of a live audience. I mean, that would certainly do it for me!**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Yay! I'm glad it was a surprise. I totally wanted for Stephanie to seem nice but also have a valid reason for being underhand! So happy you enjoyed it!**

 **Kayla English, Sorry but you just can't deny her heelish character! We're not done with her yet though, she's still got a major part to play and I hope I manage to make her human rather than an evil caricature. Let me know what you think as we go!**

 **MizHyde, Haha, yes you did, you saw that coming a mile away! I might have to start calling you Miss Marple, or maybe Kojak...which one would you prefer?!**

 **Psion53, Yep, I certainly packed it all in there for that one, although it does leave me with plenty to sort out. We're not done with Bray yet, he's still got some tricks (as by now you've probably guessed! You can't keep a Wyatt down!)**

 **Debwood-1999, Hello and welcome, better late than never, right? No, I totally get where you're coming from. I I love how insanely twisted Bray can be though, so that's what I've taken and run with here. He reminds me of a kid who wants to pet an animal and then ends up petting it way too hard. I wonder how many hamsters he went through as a kid? As a ballpark figure, I'd guess about twelve!**

 **Raze Olympus, Yep, sweet and innocent doesn't sit well on her does it? Expect more from her though, that wasn't her last act! Just a heads up by the way, you might want to skip some of the next chapter, although there's plenty of talking and sweet moments too.**

 **So, here we go then, a little calm in the midst of all the crazy. Which, quite frankly, I think they've earnt. Enjoy...**

* * *

 **Coming Clean**

An hour later I was sitting in a bath, staring blankly into the soapy water and wondering when things in my life had gone so wrong.

No mother.

No father.

No solid foundations.

It was an almost unfathomable list of disasters and that was before I even _got_ to Bray Wyatt and the stepmother who had decided that trying to kill me was preferable to welcoming me into her home. My tears mingled miserably with the water from my wet hair and as hard as I tried to scrub the feelings off I still felt icky and _unwanted_ inside.

Dean had removed the handcuffs in the car, using two bobby pins and what I could only assume was a lifetime of having lived on the edge of the law. I didn't ask. I didn't have the words to. In fact I didn't really have _any_ words left and it was a state of silence that had lasted right through checking into our motel room, getting undressed and then beyond.

For obvious reasons the guys had vetoed staying in the hotel that Hunter had picked and instead we had driven to a run-down looking place about an hour outside of where the taping was being held. Evidently it was somewhere they had all used before and while it wasn't the most glamorous of settings I couldn't imagine that my father, Stephanie _or_ Bray Wyatt would look for us there. I was safe, I knew I was, but at the same time – in spite of that – I couldn't make myself feel _happy_.

The only thing I felt was numb.

As the bathroom door creaked open I looked up and watched Dean step in newly changed out of his ring-gear. He paused for a second to look at my face, then dropped down beside me, folding his arms across the edge of the bath tub and resting his chin against them,

"Hey."

"Hey," I offered back shakily,

"How you doin' in here?"

It was obvious the answer was in the realms of _not good_ but I tried to lie through it anyway,

"Okay."

I didn't really realize I was rubbing at my wrists until he leaned over to take one, brushing his fingers over the bruising and then carefully pressing it up to his lips. The gentleness and love behind the movement was startling – especially after everything I'd been through – and it struck me in a sudden avalanche of emotions and brought in fresh tears to stream down my cheeks,

"I – I thought I'd never see you again,"

Looking up as my voice broke into a million different pieces, Dean used my wrist to pull me closer, running his palm down the back of my head and wrapping me up in a passionate kiss.

" _Sssh_ ,"

When we broke apart I felt marginally calmer and I centred myself by staring into his eyes,

"How – how did you get out of jail?"

"Hunter came by and dropped all the charges. He said you made one hell of a speech."

"It – it was Bray. He – he planted your phone by the car and – ,"

" _Sssh_ ," Dean repeated, "I figured as much."

"He said he wanted to get you away from me," I swiped at the tears, "He – he was the one who roofied my drink."

"Easy baby," Dean growled gently, "Don't think about that shit, it's over, okay?"

"But he said he wasn't done with me,"

Dean's eyes hardened,

"Lauren, I don't give a fuck _what_ Wyatt said, I'm tellin' you it's over. No fuckin' way is he layin' another hand on you. Especially after what you said."

I blinked in bewilderment,

"What – what did I say?"

His response was simple,

"You said you loved me."

 _Oh god._

 _Oh no._

At the time I had said it I'd been working on anger and a surge of protectiveness and justice as well. But now I had done it I felt pretty stupid. I'd announced the fact on _national television_ before I had even said it to Dean. What the hell had I been thinking and in turn what the hell did _he_ think of _me_?

My breathing sped up.

 _No, please._

I couldn't lose him, I couldn't take losing anyone else.

"Dean, I – I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I just – I just wanted to– ,"

His hands gripped my elbows and lowered them gently and I realized I had been trying to scramble into his arms. My fingers were wound around the neckline of his hoodie and I sobbed as my desperation turned back to despair.

"Lauren, _easy_ , I'm right here okay? You don't have to apologize. I'm not goin' anywhere."

I looked up at him slowly, my eyes tear-stained,

"You – you're not?"

"No I'm not and I'm not angry you said it," he leant in and rested his forehead against mine and then let out a sigh as his thumb traced my lips, "The only thing about you sayin' it I didn't like was not bein' able to tell you I felt the same. When you fuckin' _screamed_ for me – when Bray put his hands on you – I almost put my fist through the screen."

He was talking about the video message and remembering it I shuddered.

"He wouldn't stop touching me," I whimpered sadly, "He just kept on touching me and stroking my hair. I can _feel_ him on me. I don't – I don't like that. I don't want to feel him on me anymore."

Dean pressed his lips in tight against my forehead and when I shivered he dropped his fingers into the bath. The water around me was cooling down rapidly and giving me a quick peck, he sighed and stood up.

"Come on, let's get you outta there, huh?"

I nodded back and let him haul me upright before wrapping me up in a big clean towel. Ducking, he then lifted me into his arms carefully and carried me from the bathroom across to the bed. Lowering me gently, he hunkered down in front of me, running his fingers up and down my damp arms. In spite of what I'd been through, my whole body tingled and I exhaled and briefly closed my eyes. I opened them again when his lips brushed my jawbone and then caught me with a breathless, searing kiss,

"I'm gonna make sure you don't feel him anymore, you trust me?"

I nodded without hesitation,

"Yes."

With permission newly granted Dean didn't waste a second, crashing our lips together again and then pushing his chest with purpose against my own. It tipped me off balance but before I could fold backwards, his arm wrapped around me and lowered me down. His body moved up to hover above me as he slowly peeled back each corner of the towel.

"Where did he touch you?" Dean murmured gently and I lifted a shaking finger and pressed it to my cheek,

"Here,"

Bending, he kissed it gently and so I shifted my finger until it was sitting on my neck in a silent plea.

 _Here._

Each time I moved it, he kissed the skin beneath my fingertip and gradually I could feel myself starting to sink. Somewhere in the background my phone started buzzing but I knew who it was and I wouldn't reply to it and in trying to take my mind off my father, Dean's kisses grew hungry and ever more deep. Instinctively my hands began to kneed through his hairline but untangling one he started to suck on it instead and I gasped a little at the warmth of his mouth. What the bath water hadn't been able to wash away from me, Dean was going to clean himself and as the numbness lifted slightly, I began to feel purer.

Purer and also something else.

"Dean," I shuddered, "I want you – ,"

He shook his head at me,

"Not tonight Princess, this is all about you."

Taking one of my now wet fingers, Dean pressed it onto my sensitive spot, laying his palm down over the top of it and moving it until we were both rubbing it up and down. I bucked in surprise and hissed.

" _Oh god_ ,"

He raised a brow at me then leaned in and kissed me before smirking mildly,

"I've got tricks of my own."

Trailing the tip of his nose across my chin, he rolled it down towards my breasts, bringing my hand up to re-suck my fingers before using one to gentle circle at my nipple. All the while his mouth was working the other and at the same time his hips began to grind against my mine. The triple sensation was almost overwhelming and I whimpered a little and closed my eyes.

"Dean – ,"

Letting my hands fall away to my sides – although they didn't stay there for long because I couldn't _not_ hold him – he lowered deep kisses right down my ribcage and dotted them gently across the curve of each hip. His hands swept in and lifted my ass up and with the newly exposed angle, he dipped down his head.

"Please – ,"

I didn't really know exactly what I was asking him for but he read my mind anyway and quickly got to work. Rather than starting with my throbbing spot however, Dean began with a series of surrounding licks, his red-hot tongue creeping closer and closer until I trembled at just the mere thought of his touch.

"Easy Princess," Dean growled softly, as I bucked my hips up and let out a little cry, "Does that feel good? _Hmm_. Do you like that?"

I nodded without speaking, too ecstatic to form words and far too busy trying to keep breathing. My body was writhing with electric sensations and when he finally hit my sweet spot I actually gasped,

" _Dean_ – ,"

My fingers carded through his hair and then clung onto him as he used the underside of his tongue, pulling it across me so achingly slowly that my pelvis began to jerk on its own, not even in a rhythm but totally erratically as my base reactions took control. My head arched back and I shut my eyes in rapture as he stopped his gentle lapping and started to suck.

 _Jesus wept_.

Stars exploded in my vision and I physically stopped breathing for a worryingly long while. I had never known or imagined pleasure quite like it but at the same time it was loving and safe and in control.

I could feel myself peaking long before it happened as my excitement built up to a shivering high and each time I thought I couldn't hold out much longer, the feeling intensified and continued to rise. I knew from the way that I could barely even _breathe_ straight that the payoff would be the best of my life and I wasn't wrong either because as release burst through me, it turned me into a shuddering wreck.

I flung my head back to let out a groan and again Dean clamped my lips with a kiss. The finish was fast becoming _our thing_ and as usual it made the waves continue to swell on. By the time he broke the contact my body was still quaking and he devilishly teased his finger across my mound.

My head was spinning, I couldn't think even straight and it was at that very moment – with his fingers still flickering and my hips feeling like they were about to buck off – that Dean dropped his head right down beside my earlobe and whispered gruffly,

"I fuckin' love you Lauren Hope."

My eyes sprang open and tears formed again but for the first time that night – for the first time in _two_ nights – they weren't a response to numbness or fear. They were caused by delight and a wave of contentment and I choked my reply out,

"I love you too."

Leaning in, Dean kissed me deeply and then wrapped round his arms and pulled me further up the bed. Letting the wet towel drop to the floor, he took the corner of the king-sized comforter and pulled it up over me, tucking me in. Then he hauled me closely against him and we lay snuggled up enjoying one another's hold.

"Can you still feel him on you?" he grumbled and I shook my head, meaning it wholeheartedly,

"No."

Clearly that was exactly the way he had planned it and giddily remembering his explicit attentions made me start to reassess a few issues of my own. I may not have had a mother or a father but I _did_ have foundations and they were all Dean. Wherever he went, whatever he did, _that_ was my place. He made me feel whole. It was the reason that I trusted him so utterly implicitly and why I knew he would have an answer to the question I had to ask. Heaving a sigh and cuddling in deeper, I ran a finger across his chest,

"So – um – what happens now?"

"For the next few days _nothin'_ happens," he answered me, "Fuck Hunter, fuck the House Shows, fuck the damn company. I don't care about any of it – I'm takin' you home."

"Home?" I repeated, frowning in confusion,

"To my place."

"You mean _Vegas_?"

"Unless you don't want to go – ,"

" _No_ ," I gasped, reaching my hands up and pulling his head down until it was pressed against my own, "No, I – I do, that is, if you'll have me?"

He smiled and kissed my nose,

"You fuckin' bet I will."

"I didn't mean like _that_ ," I whispered and he kissed me again and grinned,

"I know."

As a wave a exhaustion suddenly washed over me – probably because I'd hardly slept for two days – I snuggled down and pressed my head against his chest, feeling him instantly hold me a little tighter as I gave into the urge and slowly shut my eyes,

"Dean?"

" _Mmhmm_?"

"Thank you for coming out there to get me."

He snorted mildly,

"What the hell else was I gonna do Lauren? I love you remember? I'd have walked across hot coals to fuckin' get to you."

" _Hmm_ , that's sweet,"

I was smiling but my mind was caught up in fog clouds, drinking in the barely there scent of Dean's aftershave and the last few wisps that clung to his chest. My brain was starting to wander with tiredness and I suddenly found things that Ithought needed to be said,

"I thought about you every second – every second I wasn't with you, I wanted you there."

Dean kissed the top of my head very lightly and brushed his thumb pad over my temple in a comforting, pseudo-massaging kind of way. I liked it. I liked the way he could soothe me.

"Right back at 'ya Princess, missed you too."

The dark was encircling me and dragging me down with it but before I would allow it to swallow me completely there was one final thing I wanted to ask him and screwing my face up and fighting the exhaustion I forced it out sluggishly,

"Dean?"

"'M still here."

My voice turned into a sleepy little whimper,

"Promise you won't let them take me away again?"

His arms drew in tighter in response and he _shushed_ me,

"Never, alright? No fuckin' way. Now go to sleep baby, I've got you, it's okay."

And I drifted off peacefully with Dean stroking my hair.

* * *

 **Such a soppy chapter but it had to be done. We've had angry Dean so I felt it was time for caring Dean and it was also about time for a declaration of love. More Lauren and Dean coming up in the next one because, well, because it's what I love to write!**

 **See you there!**


	33. Belonging

**So, as promised, more Lauren and Dean time, just to counterbalance all the crappy stuff that's gone on,**

 **Kayla English, You'll be pleased to know that we get some of the other front in the very next chapter, so be sure to hold onto your hat when we get there!**

 **Psion53, Glad you liked it, I thought they deserved some alone time...and a bit more coming up!**

 **Skovko, I'm just pleased I could introduce you to a new expression, it really is a good one for times of total relief (like when you think there's no chocolate in the house but then you find a stash!)**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Sweet Dean is on a par with protective Dean for me, can't choose between 'em (and since I'm writing it, I kinda don't have to, which is a good thing for me!)**

 **Debwood-1999, Bias is totally fine by me and as for the crapshow not being over with? It's entirely possible you might be right!**

 **MizHyde (aka Miss Marple) Don't worry, we've still got a way to go with Stephanie and Hunter as well, so stay tuned for that coming to a computer screen near you soon...just not quite yet…**

 **Labinnacslove, Yay for the cuteness! A bit more below. What can I say? I like Dean all loving.**

 **ThatGirl54, Glad you're all caught up again and enjoying it, even if it's been emotional! We get a** _ **tiny**_ **bit of a break from Bray now, but he's not finished yet (cue dramatic music!)**

 **As ever, enjoy...**

* * *

 **Belonging**

Bright and early the next morning we dropped Seth and Roman at the airport and then drove the rest of the way back to Vegas. Dean had thought it was the best of our options, considering that I was a nervous flyer anyway and given that it made us harder to track.

I had woken up to thirty-seven missed calls, four of them from Kelly, thirteen of them from Hunter and most surprisingly one from Steph. I had called Kelly back while Dean was in the shower but as far as I was concerned the other two could rot. If I had woken up to news of Stephanie's arrest or some public retribution then things might have been different, but as it was she still seemed to be walking the earth freely and so that was that.

I was done with them both.

As a show of solidarity none of The Shield were taking part in the House Shows that week. Not that they weren't booked in or anything – there were – but they were planning to simply not show up. It wasn't an idea I had been much in favour of since I hadn't wanted them to jeopardize their careers for me but in the end I had been overruled and honestly, I would have been lying if I said that deep down I wasn't touched.

The drive to Dean's house took almost six hours and by the time we arrived it was getting close to dusk. A dry evening heat hung comfortably in the air and I breathed it in deeply as Dean turned into the drive. Outside his house was everything I had imagined. Big yet non-fancy, welcoming but plain and best of all surrounded by hills and barren, unforgiving but still beautiful land. It also had a garden with room for a dog and I grinned a little to myself at that.

Beyond his house and looming on the horizon were the lights and tall buildings of Las Vegas and the strip and although we were only a short drive away from them, the area he lived in was quiet and unspoilt. It was totally and utterly different from Wisconsin and yet the space and ruggedness of it still felt the same and so as Dean transferred our luggage from the trunk to his house, I wandered off the drive to get a better look.

At the end of the road the terrain rose up gently before turning into a steeper looking slope. Behind it more hills undulated like stepping stones and drawn by the peacefulness I started off up. My aim was to maybe get a better vantage point but once I started trekking, I almost couldn't stop and in the end I was almost half-way up the first slope before I heard feet behind me and felt Dean pull me to a stop,

"Lauren, whoa. What are you doin' up here? Not a good time to go hikin', alright? Snakes hunt at dusk. You need to watch where you're puttin' your feet."

"Oh," I blinked, suddenly feeling stupid, "I'm sorry, I just – I wanted a better look."

"So you like Vegas then?"

I paused,

"I like _this_ bit. Does that still count?"

Dean grinned,

"Yeah, it does and I'll tell you what, if you're a good little house guest, then I'll take you up one of the peaks tomorrow and give you a view to _really_ shout about."

I gazed at him mischievously and it was honestly incredible what nature and fresh air could do to the soul. In an instant I felt almost back to my old self again and I giggled a little and let my freaky side show,

"Take me up the peak? Sounds good. Although – _question_ – is that a genuine offer or a euphemism?"

"Can't it be both?"

"The answer is _no_."

"To the euphemism, the suggestion or the hikin'?"

"The middle one. The euphemism I'm kind of indifferent about and as for the hiking thing? Fully on board. I want to see all of your crazy hometown, except maybe the strip clubs. I _definitely_ don't want to see any of those."

Dean grinned widely and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in then dropping hands to my hips. His baseball cap was already turned backwards, so when I tiptoed up to meet his kiss, the brim didn't jab me straight in the forehead which was always a deeply welcoming touch. When he broke away again, we linked hands together and Dean gave me a gentle tug down the hill, chuckling a little and shaking his head,

"How about for now we just start with my house?"

"Good idea," I nodded, "Hey, do you like dogs?"

Inside Dean's house it was comfortable yet unfussy and although it definitely needed a woman's touch – scatter cushions, paintings and a little bit of drapery – I felt instantly at home there and that sense gave me a rush. That night I paid Dean back wholeheartedly for the care he had lavished on me the evening before and when I woke up tangled in his arms the next morning – with the sunlight streaming in through blinds – I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of contentment.

It was like I was where I had always belonged.

After breakfast and packing some supplies, we set off along the trail up one of the higher peaks and the whole thing felt so couple-y and _normal_ that I positively had a bounce in my step.

"Will you calm down?" Dean sighed at me teasingly as I trotted beside him wearing a smile, "You're makin' me dizzy. It's like havin' _Tigger_ along for the fuckin' ride."

"Sorry not sorry, can't help it," I shrugged, "I just love being out here and breathing it all in. What can I say? I grew up around nature. Guess you'd call it kind of _my thing_."

"That and amazing oral," Dean grinned, loud enough so that anyone nearby would hear.

" _Dean_ ," I squeaked and turned round to bat him, but he caught my hand easily and dragged me in for a kiss,

"Honestly?" he picked up when we'd finally stopped smooching and continued to wind our way up the path, "I'm just stoked you like it out here. I mean, in past relationships it's been kind of a _deal-breaker_. Chicks just don't like Vegas, you know?"

I froze slightly on hearing the words _past relationships_ but only because I didn't know what he meant. Beyond the few little titbits he'd given me, his background was kind of a great big blur and so I wasn't sure if he was actually opening up to me, testing my reaction or just having a normal talk.

"Well," I paused, "I haven't seen much of it, but what I've seen I like so far. Plus, you know, I mean, _you're_ here so – ,"

I tailed off again but the context was obvious.

 _There's nowhere else I want to be._

Dean reached out and grabbed at my hand again before pulling me close to drop a peck on my head.

"How did I ever get so fuckin' lucky and find you Princess?"

"Hey, if you remember correctly, _I_ found _you_."

He nuzzled in against my ear and I stumbled a little as my foot hit a rock. It was safe to say it was a little off-putting and he grinned at me mischievously as I shot him a look. His make-up sentence was not what I had been expecting,

"Your asshole ex-boyfriend was a fuckin' _idiot_ to let you go."

I shrugged lightly back at him,

"Your ex-girlfriends were as well."

"Believe me Princess," he chuckled somewhat wryly, " _Idiot_ is kind. I didn't necessarily pick the _classiest_ ladies. In the circles I moved in there weren't a whole lot of those. Now, don't get me wrong, they were all great gals but not relationship material, if you know what I mean? Come to think of it, neither was I."

"And now?"

His eyes slid to mine and he grinned at me,

" _Now_ I feel like maybe it's time to try somethin' different – possibly with someone I'm fuckin' crazy about."

"Oh really?" I grinned, "Got anyone in mind?"

"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure she'd never even _look_ at me."

"Why do you say that?"

"She's the boss' daughter."

"Ah, tough break."

"On top of that she's fuckin' perfect although when she gets nervous she doesn't shut up for a minute and she gets into trouble like I've never fuckin' seen. I've heard all the rumours though, about that dirty tongue of hers, apparently there's nothin' that thing can't do."

I grinned at him broadly,

"Well it can certainly run away from you."

Then without any warning I sprinted off ahead of him, giggling as I heard him shout _hey_ from behind. Not being an athlete like he was however, I flagged pretty much before I'd even set off, which allowed him to quickly and easily grab hold of me and purposefully spin my body around. As I giggled like a schoolgirl he kissed me deeply and then snaked his arms in to lift me up right off the ground.

"Where do you think you're goin'?" he growled at me ferally, before stifling my laughter with another loving kiss. At the same time he moved a hand to my waistline and tickled me mercilessly until I screamed for mercy,

" _Dean_ – ,"

Promptly a dog came skittering round the corner, wondering what all the yelling was about and it was followed pretty swiftly by an alarmed looking owner who had no doubt been worrying about what he might come across. Untangling ourselves the pair of us looked sheepish which Dean channelled into saying hello to the dog. It made me grin as I considered all the factors – he had a garden and a bond with animals – we were _so_ getting ourselves a dog.

The rest of the climb up took over an hour and by the time we got to the jagged rocky peak, the path had petered out and we were making our own route, climbing up the bright red fissures somewhat breathlessly and skidding on the loose shards underneath our feet. By the time we reached the summit Dean practically had to haul me up, but the payoff was worth it.

"God, look at that view."

Grinning, Dean sat down on a flat outcrop behind me and then pulled me backwards by the beltloop of my jeans. I went with it clumsily, stumbling against his boot heel at which I plopped straight down onto his lap. For a second we simply sat there – together and contented – staring silently at the grandeur of Las Vegas down below, then, with a sigh, Dean tapped my ass lightly and jiggled me with his knees,

"You gonna tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"About what Wyatt did to you."

I froze, not having expected the question,

"I – what?"

"Lauren," Dean sighed, nuzzling my neckline, "I know from the video it wasn't a picnic and I know he scared the shit out of you and honestly, I thought I'd be okay with not knowin', but it's fuckin' eatin' me up inside. Did he – did he do anythin' to you? Anythin' like – ,"

" _No_ ," I gasped, "No nothing like that, he just – he just touched me and stroked me and shouted – ,"

"Why?"

"I don't know. He – he kept saying he was my friend and he was trying to protect me. Weirdly I kinda guess he was right. He got really angry when I wouldn't believe him – ,"

Dean took a steadying breath,

"Angry _how_?"

A sudden sob welled up in my throat and I forced it down bitterly,

"He – he grabbed my face,"

Dean's head dropped down and pressed against my neck and at the same time he let his knees come apart. I slid off his lap and onto the rock face in between them and with his height advantage restored, Dean encircled me in his arms.

"Did he hurt you?"

"Yes," I mumbled sadly, "Then he – he made me wear a blindfold. I didn't want to but I was scared of what he would do if I didn't. I'm sorry, I – I should have tried harder – I should have tried harder to escape and get away and – ,"

All at once the sob burst up on me and abruptly the tears were back streaming down my cheeks. Instantly Dean tightened his arms in around me and pushed my head down to pillow against his neck. I turned in towards him, gripping his shirt tightly and blubbering into it like I'd turned on a tap,

" _Sssh_ ," he growled, stroking my hair soothingly, " _Sssh_ , baby it's not your fault. I should've just let you tell 'em we were together, then you wouldn't have been there on your own."

I blinked back a cascade of tears and sniffed uncertainly,

"W-wait are you – are you b-blaming yourself?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Dean answered, lifting his hand up and using to it sweep damp hairs from my face, "Lauren, I'm your boyfriend, I've got one fuckin' job to do and I wasn't there when my girl needed me the most."

"That was Bray. He framed you, he – he set you up and – ,"

I broke off as another tear fell towards my jaw and Dean leaned in and kissed it gently before bumping his forehead up against mine,

"Then let's say we both stop the pity party here, huh? _Wyatt_ fuckin' did this. Nobody else."

"Wyatt _and_ Stephanie," I corrected in a whisper, "Bray never tried to have me killed."

"No, he just fuckin' tied you to a bed and held you captive for a whole fuckin' day," I flinched a little at the anger in his words and feeling it Dean forced himself to relax, "Look, I'm sorry. But I can't fuckin' help it. Do you know what it did to me? Seein' you on that video? Seein' his hand clamped over your mouth like that? I mean. _Fuck_. You looked so scared and so fuckin' _helpless_ and I couldn't do _shit_ – I didn't know where you were."

It was the first time we had really spoken about _his_ feelings and the insight made me feel both guilty and warm. Sniffing slightly, I placed my palm against his ribcage and stopped it when I could feel his heartbeat, constant and firm,

"I knew you'd be hurting – I didn't like it but I knew."

"I practically tore the place apart. Hunter's gonna get about a foot-long bill once they've worked out what all the damage is worth. Not that I feel bad or whatever. He fuckin' deserves it what with the shit his bitch wife pulled. How the fuck could he even _look_ at her knowin' what she did to you?"

I shrugged at him mildly,

"I guess he really loves her,"

"You're his fuckin' daughter, he's _supposed_ to love you."

"That's okay," I whispered, "I don't need him to. Perhaps I did once but – but that was before you. I've honestly got everything I want right here."

For a second I wasn't sure how he would take my declaration but then suddenly he growled and spun me around, turning my chin so I was staring right at him and then moulding his lips to mine with such love that I almost toppled backwards. My arms snaked round his neck,

"Fuck Princess, you gotta stop sayin' that shit to me," he panted between breathless and frantic little pecks, "I'm losin' my god damn mind over here."

"Dean – ," I whimpered in response and he grinned at me, suddenly sensing my needy tone of voice,

"Oh dirty girl, you really _are_ bad aren't you? Sorry baby, no _way_ am I doin' it out here – I'm a lunatic, sure, but I don't got a death wish. If we didn't get caught by a fuckin' park ranger it would be a dog or a fuckin' _rattlesnake_ or worse. How about I just get you home, huh?"

I bit his earlobe and tugged on it gently, purring beside him,

"Can we do it on the grass?"

His hand cupped my breast and I shivered a little and he chuckled at me,

"Well, I mean, I plan on doin' it in _every_ room, so I don't see why the yard should get left outta that. You want the yard, we'll do it in the yard, then in the kitchen, then on the rug – ,"

I stopped his listing by kissing him hard and his shorts began to stir as my hand dropped down. He grabbed it again quickly and pulled me up onto my walking boots, shaking his head wryly,

" _Fuck_ , come on."

We set off like a shot with Dean leading me forcefully, but evidently that still wasn't quite fast _enough_ because suddenly he slammed to a unexpected halt and I bounced right off him,

"Nope," he clipped, "This isn't gonna work."

"Well I'm not running all the way back to the car Dean, if that's what you've got in mind? I'm a waitress not an athlete. The only thing I've ever run for in my life is the bus."

As it turned out though that wasn't Dean's plan and he turned and squatted in front of me,

"Jump on,"

"Are you serious?"

"Look Princess, I'm gettin' fuckin' desperate, so if you won't hurry up – ,"

"Not won't – I _can't_."

He waved a hand,

"Yeah, yeah whatever – if you _won't_ hurry up then I'll run for us both."

"Dean," I frowned, pretty disbelieving but stepping in closer to him at the same time, "You can't run down a mountain with me on your back,"

"Try me."

I rolled my eyes and sighed,

"Alright."

As I bent in across him, he grabbed my legs firmly, waiting until I had my arms around his neck. Once I was in place, he stood fully upright and then took a second to bump me further up his back.

"Hang on Princess."

To what? I wanted to ask him, but then he started to sprint without warning and my question and the problem became things of the past. Considering he was supporting an entire extra _person_ , he was surprisingly speedy and daredevil too and my reaction to the bumpy sensation of the journey was giddy, happy and scared all at once.

" _Dean_ – ," I squealed, in between bursts of laughter, "Dean – you can't – _oh god_ – slow down."

He actually went much further than I would have banked on before finally settling back into a walk. He was breathing heavily and I tried to shuffle off him but he held my legs tighter,

"I'm okay, you're fine."

"I'm getting too heavy."

"Lauren, you are not fuckin' heavy, alright? Big Show. Now _there's_ a crazy heavy guy. You don't weigh anythin' at all, stop movin'. I said I'd take you down, so I'm takin' you down."

In response I settled my chin on his shoulder and let out a sigh,

"How could anyone not like this?"

"Gettin' a free ride?"

"No, I mean _Vegas_. You said your other girlfriends thought it was a deal-breaker. I don't get that. It's beautiful up here."

"Yeah well," Dean chuckled, sounding kind of rueful, "Maybe they woulda liked it if I'd ever taken 'em out hikin'."

I blinked,

"You've never brought a girl up here before?"

"Nope," he shook his head at me, "Never."

Absently I swiped off his black baseball cap and placed it on my own head – mainly to be annoying. It was far too big and also a little sweaty but it was still wrapped up with Dean's manly scent and I liked that. Was that gross? It seemed kind of icky. Oh, to hell with it.

"Really? Why not?"

"I told you they weren't real classy, right? The kinda girls I used to date? Not _outdoors_ types either for the most part. This has always just been kinda my spot. I was hardly gonna drag 'em kickin' and screamin' if they weren't into it. Didn't see the fuckin' point."

His spot? I blinked. He'd taken me to _his spot_? A warm glow of pride rushed straight through me and I kissed him on the cheek,

"If they loved you they'd have done it."

"Guess that was the problem then. They didn't love me and I didn't love them."

"Yeah but – I mean – you _have_ told a girl you loved her before, right?"

My heart beat wildly in my chest as I waited, knowing that his answer was _kind of_ a big deal. For a guy like Dean who was so worldly wise – not to mention gorgeous, which usually helped – I had assumed that relationships always came easily and I had vaguely imagined him with some bottle blonde bimbo telling her he loved her as she screamed out his name. It wasn't a thought I'd particularly _liked_ but I had accepted it all the same.

Had I been wrong?

"Nope," he shook his head, giving me my comfort and something much more important alongside, "I wouldn't do that whole _what-she-wants-to-hear_ shit. Not unless it was somethin' I fuckin' meant."

 _Wow._

That was it.

We were _so_ doing this now.

Scrabbling from his back like an excited spider monkey, I dropped down to the ground and half- _launched i_ nto his arms,

"Lauren, what – ,"

My kiss shut him up again and so did the hand that I dropped down to his pants. Backing him up again I towed us around an outcrop and pushed us out of sight as I began to lift my top. Dean grinned back at me and the sun glinted off his two-tones,

"You really are my dirty girl."

I didn't say anything – I was too filled with need – and simply pressed myself against him as his hands cupped my ass. It was a strange transition, I was willing to admit that. Not one month ago I was a waitress from Wisconsin, who for the most part, wouldn't have said boo to a goose. Now there I was in the middle of the desert, grinding against my boyfriend.

I really _was_ a dirty girl.

A really _happy_ really dirty girl and all things considered, I was fine with that.

* * *

 **So I figured I could give them a little bit more** _ **sweet time**_ **but that all kinda changes when we get to the next chapter and a visitor comes calling to...well...you'll just have to wait and see!**


	34. Too Little Too Late

**So for everyone wondering about Hunter and Stephanie, one of those questions gets answered here. This chapter is going to be an emotional ride for a couple of them, so hold onto your hats and here we go.**

 **Labinnacslove, Yay! I was definitely aiming for cute. Glad it worked!**

 **Psion53, I don't think I mentioned if she did or didn't get back to Kelly, but at least in my head I like to think she did. Although Kelly is probably a bit full-on if you're traumatised (she's based on a friend of mine who is exactly the same!)**

 **Moxley Gal1, Hmmm, interesting idea. Not in this story, but maybe in a follow-up an ex-girlfriend might work to spice things up?**

 **Mandy, Oh my goodness, thank you so much, I'm glad you're enjoying them both. That makes me happy. Hope you had a lovely birthday and that this chapter is a post-birthday treat for you as well (not as good as cake of course, but maybe a close second?!)**

 **Debwood-1999, I figured Hunter would just keep trying to call every few seconds, but he did deserve to be ignored. Perhaps that's why what happens in this chapter happens the way it does…**

 **Skovko, I just missed them having flirtatious banter from back in the early chapters, so dropped some more in. Just because they're properly together now, doesn't mean they can't still flirt!**

 **ThatGirl54, Thank you. See? I can be nice to them too! But yes, they kind of needed a breather. It's about to get kind of wild again!**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Too Little Too Late**

The next day Hunter visited us.

Just like that.

 _Bam._

As in literally right out of the blue.

One minute I was in the kitchen making Dean pancakes – a benefit of not being out on the road, the ability to whip up homemade food – and the next I was aware of hushed but angry voices filtering through from the direction of the hall. In reality I probably would have been better to stay cooking, but with curiosity getting the best of me, I wiped my hands and crept in towards them, my mind running silently through all the possibilities and predictably choosing to linger on the worst.

Was it something work related?

 _Oh god._

What if – what if it was _Bray_?

Given that Dean wasn't throwing things however or hitting anybody then that seemed to be a _no_. Maybe it was as simple as Dean's next door neighbour. Had someone seen – or heard – us in the yard last night? Or possibly through the kitchen window, or over by the pool?

 _Awkward._

By the time I passed the door to the den, I could make out the individual tones and while one of them was definitely Dean, it took a beat before I recognized who the other one was. When I did however, I let out a gasp and skidded round the corner,

"What are you doing here?"

Both Dean and Hunter turned instantly to look at me, both of their faces showing regret. On Dean's part that was because he knew I would get tearful and he had clearly wanted to keep from that. But on Hunter's part it could have been pretty much anything. From abandoning my mother, to forcing me into the limelight, or – what else, _oh yeah_ – his homicidal wife.

"Lauren – ," he started, stepping towards me, but Dean blocked the movement with a growl of warning and kept him pitifully consigned to the shaded porch step, "Thank god you're okay, I've been going out of my mind with worry – ,"

"Why?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral and once again starting to feel myself go numb, "You knew I was with Dean. Did you think he wouldn't look after me?"

Hunter paused briefly,

"No, it wasn't that I just – I just needed to see for myself that you were alright. After everything that happened you must be – ,"

"What?" I interjected sharply and my tone of voice surprised even myself, "Terrified? Broken? Totally crushed? Well don't worry Hunter because I'm all those things as well."

Dean's eyes slid across to me briefly although his didn't change his stance,

"Easy Princess, everythin's alright."

"Lauren, listen, I know you're mad at me but we need to talk about what happened, okay?"

I felt my body vibrate with emotion although whether it was anger, fear or both I didn't know. A furious mist curled in through my system and – oh no, wait – it was anger after all.

"What _happened_?" I spat in disbelief, "Um, what _happened_ is that the clan you told me you would _deal with_ held me captive for twenty-four hours, then, as if that wasn't bad enough, dragged me on stage in front of millions of people and humiliated me on live television and – ,"

I stopped as I choked on a sob and – yep – okay, so maybe it _was_ more than pure anger at work. Not wanting him to see it however, I dropped my head into my hands to bury it and let my shoulders begin to shake up and down.

"Hey,"

Suddenly Dean was standing right in front of me, pulling my fingers away from my face and tilting my chin until he could look right at me. His expression was tense but at the same time oddly calm and he gently raised his eyebrows to offer me a smile,

"Dean, I – ,"

"Easy, take it easy Princess. What's all this, huh? You gonna let that pretty face get all red? I don't like when my girl is all snotty and blotchy. Think you can manage a little smile for me here?"

I snorted despite myself and sank forward into him, feeling him wrap his arms around me tightly as he carefully brushed the tears off with his thumb.

"That's my girl."

At the sound of someone clearing their throat awkwardly, I looked up to find that Hunter had moved in close. In abandoning his guard dog post in the doorway, Dean had basically offered free entry and although his hold around me grew tight, I was touched that he had wanted to comfort me more.

"Ambrose," Hunter started gruffly and he actually looked a little ashamed, "I just want to thank you for everything you've done for my daughter over the last few – well – _weeks_ , I guess. She clearly trusts you and I'm glad she can count on you. But right now I need to take her home. She needs to be with her family."

 _What?_

Dean on the other hand was a little more explicit,

"Oh, you gotta be fuckin' _kiddin'_ me right now? You really think I'm gonna let you show up here and drag her off after what you pulled?"

Hunter's expression twitched but didn't falter as he simply continued to stare back at us straight-faced. I meanwhile clutched onto Dean kind of _desperately_ , wringing his shirt in both confusion and alarm,

"I've got no intention of _dragging_ her anywhere, but I think we both know she'd be safer with me."

"You're fuckin' delusional,"

"Careful Ambrose, I'm still your boss and the only reason I'm not ripping into you right now is because I know how much my daughter cares about you. Don't make me regret that."

Dean snorted,

"Oh yeah? Go ahead _Trips_. Do your fuckin' worst. You might be my boss inside of the ring but I think you're forgettin' that you're standin' in _my house_ which means that the second you stepped over that threshold, I became _your_ boss. I make the rules here."

Sensing that the tension was building to a crescendo – and _wow_ hadn't that gone downhill fast – I sniffed and swiped my hand across my face, loving that Dean was being so protective and feeling his security fuel me in turn,

"Did you – did you kick Stephanie out yet?"

The question shivered across us like a cold wind and the atmosphere died as Hunter sucked in a breath. The fact that he didn't answer instantly was instantly telling and I chuckled bitterly and wearily shook my head.

 _Yeah, that's what I thought_.

"Lauren, she feels _terrible_ about what she did – ,"

"I bet she does now that the whole world knows."

"She never meant for you to get hurt – ,"

Dean's face hardened,

"She nearly ran her over with a _truck_. If I hadn't got to her when I did, Lauren would be fuckin' dead. What part of that is not wantin' her _to get hurt_? You can't seriously be buyin' any of that shit?"

"She says that was an accident and I believe her."

"So what about the rest of it?" Dean sneered back, "Wrappin' up a box of god damn cockroaches and leavin' them for Lauren at the hotel? Was that all just an _accident_ as well? What, did her finger slip and add a ribbon and a bow?"

I shook my head,

"I thought it was the Wyatts."

"I know," Hunter nodded, "I don't agree with what she did but you've got to try and understand where she was coming from – ,"

"I do?"

My tone of voice let him know he'd said the wrong thing and I was surprised to see him actually _wince_.

"She and I have been together for a long time and she was scared of that changing – ,"

"So what about me? Don't you think _I_ was scared? The idea of coming to find you was _terrifying_ to me. I had literally no clue what to expect. But do you know what was even _worse_ than that? Watching my mother slip away in front of me and knowing that I had no one left in the world. _Stephanie's_ afraid of change because her husband's long lost daughter is back in the picture? Try losing the most important person in your world. Try losing the one person that you always saw as _home_. Do you think that any of this came about by choice? Do you really think I had another option? Stephanie might see me as the bad guy here Hunter and I get that – I do – but _none_ of this is on me."

Throughout my speech I'd been growing more passionate until I could feel a veritable _fire_ in my chest. It was tinged with tears too – they were streaming down my cheeks in fact – but they didn't lessen the impact of the words. In fact, if anything, they helped me feel it _bodily_ and in response Dean snagged a finger around my pinky and squeezed it slightly,

 _Atta girl_.

Hunter on the other hand just drank it in stoically and although I thought it might have overpowered him, evidently it hadn't. The man just didn't give up.

"Which is why we need to talk about this, _together_ , as a _family_. I want you to come home."

"You're not my home Hunter – we're not a family. We might have been before – I even thought we were – but now? No. Now we're not anything."

A pained look flashed up over his features and although I felt a tiny stab of guilt about it, it was by no means enough to change the way I felt.

"Lauren, hey, we can fix this, okay? We just need to try – ,"

"Don't you get it?" I frowned, "That's all I've _been_ doing since the moment I got here. I _tried_ to be useful, _tried_ to be grateful, _tried_ to keep my head down – try, try, try. But look where it got me Hunter. _Nowhere_. I mean, it wasn't like Stephanie just straight up _hated_ me either. She actually made me believe we were friends. When all the time she was trying to make me crazy or feel so scared that I would turn around and quit. I can't forgive that Hunter – I _can't_ – and what's more this time, I don't _want_ to try."

"But if you could – ,"

" _No_ ," I ground out, shaking my head firmly yet feeling weary, sad and broken all at once, "I'm sorry Hunter, really I am, but just – just no."

"Lauren, don't – ,"

Reaching out suddenly he snapped his fingers round my wrist and the thought that he might drag me away again caught me in such an eruption of panic that I actually whimpered in pitiful alarm.

That was all it took.

In the blink of an eye, Dean was between us and backing Hunter up with a two-handed shove,

"What the fuck are you doin'? Don't touch her."

"I wasn't going to hurt her, I just wanted to – ,"

" _No_ ," I said again, or – well – _screamed_ it, so loudly that it bounced back in off the walls. He had grabbed me where the handcuffs had been dug in so tightly and the pinch of the bruises had sent me into a meltdown. Stepping back with wide wild eyes, I rubbed the discoloration and tried not to sound shaky, "I'm not coming with you. You can't make me go. You say you want to take me home? Well you can't. I'm here. _Dean_ is my home."

As I spoke I quickly glanced towards the man in question and felt my heart leap at the way he was looking back. It was deep and loving and so damn proud of me that it made me feel like some sort of giant. If Dean was there I could do _anything_ and that included standing up to my dad. In all honesty though, I didn't have to stand much, Hunter actually looked pretty crushed,

"Lauren, you can't mean that – ,"

"I can and I do."

Shuffling sideways I snatched Dean's hand up, winding myself like a monkey around his arm.

"But – you barely know him."

"I've known him longer than I've known you and _unlike_ you he's never let me down. He's always been there for me, from the moment I met him. He's saved me over and over again."

Curling his fingers in tighter around me, Dean looked down at me and gave me a sideways grin. Hunter watched it and for the first time since I'd met him, it seemed like he got it – it seemed like he got _me_.

"I'm not going to be able to convince you am I?"

I shook my head back at him resolutely,

"No."

For a second we stood in a semi-awkward silence and then finally he nodded and let out a sigh. His body seemed to curl inwards slightly but he actually took it all surprisingly well.

"In that case, I guess there's not a lot left to say. Except Ambrose? Take care of her, okay?"

Dean glared back at him but then offered up a nod, as if it was obvious,

"Always have, always will."

"Yeah," Hunter blinked, looking lost, "I know you will."

Then he turned and shuffled towards the porch again and although a huge part of me wanted him to go there was another part – a small part – that couldn't quite bare it and the conflicting emotions whipped around my head like they were caught in a hurricane. In response I held on tighter to Dean and he squeezed my fingers, letting me know he was still there.

"Oh," Hunter broke in, suddenly pausing in the doorway, "You've got the House Shows off this week. I thought after Tuesday that you might want to – you know. We'll need you in on Monday though. Business as usual."

It was strangely affecting to hear him talk about business when his family life was lying in tatters on the floor. It was also a relief that he wasn't being personal. Not that it would have helped our family dynamic, but he could have suspended Dean and The Shield _._ Instead he hadn't and I had to admit that it was pretty magnanimous.

It seemed Dean agreed,

"I'll be there."

"And you?" Hunter gazed across at me,

" _Mmhmm_ ," I nodded, "I'll be there with Dean."

It was strange that in the course of one family argument I had staked my colours not only to my boyfriend but also to my newfound job. It was my company now. I might not have owned it or even had a stake in it, but the wrestling business was now my professional and no one but no one could chase me away.

"What about the Wyatts?" Dean growled suddenly and my stomach turned over. I'd forgotten about them.

"Honestly?" Hunter sighed, "The three of them have vanished and I don't know what'll they do – nobody does. But if I had to guess? I'd say they'll be back. Sooner rather than later. That's why you've got to promise me – ,"

Dean stopped him flatly, pre-empting the question,

"We'll keep her safe."

As another silence threatened to blossom – but this time ever so marginally less tense – Hunter nodded and gave me one last look over before shaking his head and stepping out the door. He was halfway down Dean's gravelled sweeping drive when I finally plucked up the courage to go after him and although it wasn't the apology he'd been hoping for, it was definitely something I needed to say.

"Oh by the way, you can tell Vince I'm sorry – he won't be able to blackmail me anymore."

Hunter's brows screwed up in confusion and he looked first at me and then slowly at Dean,

"He what?"

"The day we went to lunch," I answered him calmly, "When you went to take that phone call? Vince tried to blackmail me. He told me that if I didn't make more appearances on camera then he would tell the world about me and Dean."

Hunter's mouth dropped open like a goldfish and at least that was something.

He really _didn't_ know.

"Lauren, I – ,"

"Guess I ruined _that_ little plan. Real nice family you married into by the way."

Then turning on my heel I stalked back into the house and stood in the hall fuming as Dean shut the door. The moment I heard the _click_ I launched into his arms again and stood there shaking like a wind-battered leaf. Above me Dean brushed my hair back and kissed it, mumbling gruffly,

"You were great Princess – fuckin' amazin' – the way you stuck up for me? _Holy shit_. I've never had _anyone_ do somethin' like that for me. You're incredible Lauren. Hey, how do you feel?"

Pulling back from me to inspect my face for tears, he looked surprised on finding none. He wasn't the only one to feel like that either and I nodded haltingly,

"Yeah, you know what? I'm fine."

I meant it too.

That moment was a turning point.

I was Lauren Hope and Dean was right, I could do anything I put my mind to.

* * *

 **I know, I know, I was kind of mean to Hunter, but I'm pretty sure he deserved to be told. The next chapter is kind of crazy and hectic, so consider this the final calm before the storm (again!)**


	35. Don't Bring Me Down

**Okay, don't hate me for this chapter. At this point in time, that's all I'm gonna say…**

 **Debwood-1999, Agreed, Hunter's no good to anyone just sitting on the fence! I'm glad you can't wait for the drama to erupt again. Although I'm not sure if this chapter is what you had in mind!**

 **Psion53, Maybe the Wyatts have gone off on vacation or on a team-building day or...no, you're right, where there's chaos there's usually Wyatt members (see below for example #1)**

 **Labinnacslove, Yeah, I agree, Dean is** _ **always**_ **the better choice. I certainly know which option I would have picked!**

 **Kayla English, Well, we've still got more chapters for this story to pan out. Not a whole lot more, but hopefully just enough.**

 **Mandy, I don't think my writing can be better than cake and sweets? What about chocolate cake? (Okay, I'm hungry now). Seriously though, I'm super glad you're loving both my Shield stories, makes all the hours of obsessive writing worthwhile!**

 **Skovko, I think all the time she's spent with Dean and the boys is making her more ballsy!**

 **MizHyde, I don't know, I feel like poor old Hunter can't catch a break in this one (which is stupid me feeling bad for him since I wrote the thing!) Glad it perked you up just a little. Big hugs.**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Yeah, definitely not over with Hunter and Stephanie as you are about to find out now…**

 **ThatGirl54, I felt she needed to nail her flag to a door and given everything that has happened, that door had to be Dean's. Not that Hunter is out of the picture, well, not in this chapter…**

* * *

 **Don't Bring Me Down**

"So you took on the boss and won, huh?" Seth smirked at me, shaking his head as he laced up his boots, "I gotta admit Lauren, that's pretty good going."

"Good?" Dean chirped back, "That all you got for her? She was like fuckin' _Rocky_. I mean, that shit was _intense_."

I smiled a little and rolled my eyes which deepened as he threw me a lopsided wink. He knew I was nervous and was trying to distract me and it was actually working.

Well, maybe a bit.

It was Monday night and I was sat in _The Shield_ locker room watching as the guys put the final touches to themselves. Water had been sprayed on tresses, tape had been woven around wrists and joints and last minute stretches and lunges were happening. They were almost ready to perform. Any second and they would be heading off to make their grand entrance and for the first time since I'd met them, I would be there too.

 _With_ them at ringside.

During a match.

It was a massively daunting, knee-trembling prospect and although I was smiling and trying to play down my nausea, they could obviously tell I was feeling the nerves. Roman reached over and patted me in the silence, tapping his big pad over my arm,

"You stood up for yourself Baby Girl, I'm proud of you and that's why I know you'll be fine out there."

"Yeah," Seth nodded, "Besides, _if_ anything happens, you're with the best in the business."

I grinned,

"Believe in The Shield?"

Dean smirked at me,

"Oh you'd fuckin' better, because your boyfriend happens to be their sexy ass leader."

My heart jumped a little at that – _your boyfriend_ – but Roman merely snorted, not looking so amused,

"That's one thing I _ain't_ believin' in,"

"What, that I'm your leader or the _sexy ass_ bit?"

"Both."

"Aww," I giggled, crossing over to Dean and wrapping my arms around his chest, "Don't worry, he's just jealous that his ass will never be as beautiful as this one is."

To demonstrate my point I gave it a little pinch and Dean dropped his arms down around me and grinned,

"Damn straight."

Roman quirked a brow at me,

"Hey come on now, wasn't I just being nice to you?"

"Yes and I appreciate that, but I'm sorry, Dean's ass is the best there is and I get the final say because I'm a girl."

Roman shrugged a little then nodded, before giving his teammate a cheery slap on the arm,

"Well, I guess I can't argue with that. Congrats brother, you deserve it."

Dean grinned back at him,

"Thanks man."

For a second I felt like everything was normal. I was a regular girl hanging out with her guy's friends. Then suddenly Seth clapped his hands together loudly and nodded at his teammates.

It was show time.

 _Crap._

The evening had all been going so well.

The previous days – in spite of the argument and subsequent _disowning_ of my recently rediscovered father – had actually been surprisingly good and Dean and I had taken long walks together, cooked for one another and spent _a lot_ of time in bed. In many ways it had been the first opportunity that that the two of us had been given to just do regular _couple stuff_ and not only had I managed to relax and unwind a bit, but I had actually been happy for much of it as well.

It was the reason why, when Monday rolled in again, I had greeted it with a looming sense of dread. Not that anyone _liked_ going to work after an all-but blissful romantic weekend, it was just that in the case of most normal people they weren't likely to bump into their stalker in the office or their evil stepmother while grabbing coffee-to-go. I on the other hand, was liable to see _both_ those things and although I was filled with a new found resilience, it didn't mask the fact that I was still wild with fear and winding through the unforgiving corridors brought that starkly home to me.

 _God_ I was scared.

I held onto Dean's hand like a panicky limpet. Fortunately he didn't much seem to mind.

What set The Shield apart from other wrestlers – apart from their dominance and in Dean's case _ass_ – was the fact that they had long made their entrance through the audience instead of the more glitzy, show-boating main ramp. In doing so they shunned not only convention but also most of the roster as well, not that they seemed to much care about tradition, or making friends or anything besides the job in hand. The guys were the vicious lone wolves of the company and it was why instead of heading for gorilla, we turned towards the concessions hall instead, drawing up beside a set of thick double entrance doors where the guys stood together twitching and pumping themselves up. Within minutes of their arrival there was a clamouring hoard around us, taking photos, yelling and trying to make us look their way. It was a churning, screaming, bubbling mass of people and yet The Shield didn't look at them.

In fact they didn't even blink.

" _Hey – hey – Big Dog, over here."_

" _Oh my god, I love you guys."_

" _Look it's Hunter's daughter – what's her name – go on man, say something to her."_

" _Yo Lauren, lookin' sweet babe."_

Cat-calling, really? Every girl's dream and _just_ what I needed to shake off the jitters that were starting to rattle from my shoulders straight down.

Not.

Squeezing Dean's hand a little tighter than I had been, I shuffled in closer and bumped his abs with my chest. He glanced down at me as if remembering I was there with them but the second his eyes met mine he dropped his game-face and moved swiftly back into boyfriend mode again,

"Hey, you okay?"

I nodded at him shortly but my silence made it evident that I was definitely _not_ in the realms of okay and as the Drunken Moron in the crowd shouted at me, Dean looked up icily and quickly stopped him dead. Once Dean was sure the guy's attentions were elsewhere – which based on his suddenly red face was the floor – he turned to me and frowned at my expression, reading me instantly,

"You worried about goin' out down through the crowd or about the Wyatts showin' up?"

"Um, kinda _both_ I guess."

"Don't be. You think I'd let anyone touch you, huh? We've got this Lauren. You're gonna be fine."

He gently lifted my chin with his finger and then gave me a kiss amongst a chorus of hoots. It was a deep kiss and passionate which made me creep onto my tiptoes as I savoured every single second of its warmth. To be honest I was still slightly reeling from the sensation of it when one of the arena staff gave us a nod and waved her hands at us like she was directing out bomber jets from the flight deck of a carrier ship.

 _Now – go, go, go_.

At the exact same moment that Roman banged the doors wide, the familiar Shield bassline blasted out loud and the crowd sent up a cheer like a single giant entity that almost blew the roof off the place. It had been thunderous enough just standing in gorilla but being physically _in it_ was truly something else and for a second I simply stood in awe-struck silence as the whooping seemed to vibrate in through my gut. Then Dean placed a hand on my back and propelled me forward, as Seth motioned for me to follow him from in front.

"Stay close Lauren, okay?"

I nodded at him mutely, my heart in my throat.

 _Oh god, this is it_.

There was no going back and as Seth skipped down the first steps, I took a deep breath and followed his lead. We walked in a tight formation of four, with Roman and Seth clearing the way in front of us and Dean walking behind me with his hands on my hips. Clawing fingers were reaching out towards me but I didn't actually feel a single one and although I put it down to The Shield's fearsome glaring I half-wondered if it wasn't that I was simply numb as well. By the time we hit the barrier my head was still spinning but I registered Dean jumping easily over before putting his arm out and beckoning me close. Before I even knew what he was doing, he had leant over and physically swept me straight up, spinning me easily over the barricade and then carefully letting me drop back to the floor.

"You good?"

"Um, I think _good_ might be kind of overestimating but I – well – I guess I'm okay. I mean, I'm breathing, so that's got to be a plus point, right?"

Dean merely grinned at me by way of an answer, clearly not believing a single word I said. Reaching over he gave my hand another squeeze and leant in close enough to be heard above all the noise.

"Lauren, go stand in our corner, okay? If anythin' happens and we can't get to you, I want you to get behind the announce table _fast_. Cole's a pussy but Lawler's pretty ballsy and if nothin' else JBL can run his damn mouth."

I frowned a little,

"But you said it would be fine – ,"

"It will be okay – we're gonna look after you – but _if_ somethin' happens I need to know you'll be safe. Promise me okay? Promise me Lauren."

I nodded somewhat haltingly,

"Uh huh, I – I will."

What the hell did he think might go wrong?

Probably best not to dwell on it too much.

The Shield's unlucky opponents for that night's match up were Slater, Mahal and McIntyre – better known as 3MB – and since Dean and the guys had come out second, the challengers were already waiting keenly in the ring. It meant that the bout started almost immediately and from the very first lock-up I was wearing a wince.

Over the weeks I had been watching the matches from gorilla but somehow backstage they hadn't seemed real. It was almost like watching them on a simple little small screen had lessened them or taken away the force of each blow. Up close however the whole thing seemed brutal and I physically seemed to _feel_ each move. The sound of Michael Cole's voice jerked me back out of it and I grinned as I realized I could hear their every word,

"Seth Rollins to start this match up against Drew McIntyre – ,"

The mat bounced violently as the two men began to square up and I clenched my fists tight and willed Seth on as they clashed and then locked in a fierce looking grip. Luckily Seth managed to kick out with a thick boot and the momentum allowed him to establish first a headlock and then a powerful forearm to the face.

"So John, what do you think about The Shield's recent allegiances? They appear to have seemed _conflicted_ of late."

"Why do you always have to question things Michael and make up problems that just aren't there? Hunter asked The Shield to look after his daughter and that was what they did last Tuesday night. It wasn't as if they _stole_ the girl away from him, they were just doing what the boss had asked."

A crash on the matting made me snap back to reality but it was only Heath Slater being back-dropped by Roman and seeing it made me suddenly relax. Behind me Jerry Lawler was putting _his_ two cents in and surprisingly he hit the nail on the head.

"I think we all know what's happening here. I mean, did you see the way she went flying at Dean Ambrose as soon as Wyatt let her go? There's something going on between those two I'm telling ya and it's a _whole_ lot more than following orders from the boss."

I blushed and tried my best to look invested while tipping my head to one side to listen in. Eavesdropping had been my mother's biggest pet peeve but considering the three men clustered behind me were talking about me on _live television_ , I'm pretty sure that in this case she would have probably agreed.

"Oh please," JBL snorted in disgust, "You don't know what you're talking about. The Shield are doing their bit for the business and all you can do is sit here and make false accusations about their private lives. These guys deserve better than that. They deserve your respect."

Back in the ring Dean suddenly tagged in and I abruptly stopped listening to the commentary team's squabbling as my heart lurched directly into my throat.

 _Oh no._

What if he got hurt? What if he landed wrong or somehow got injured? I wasn't sure I could cope. Fortunately however, as he got down to it, those sudden worries instantly vanished and were replaced by lashing of pride instead because – _holy cow_ – my boyfriend was incredible and he lit up the ring with every last move. I mean, I had seen him wrestle before from backstage and he had been pretty captivating then as it was, but seeing him in person from just a few feet away, brought home just how amazing he was, charismatic, natural, totally confident.

 _Read it and weep ladies._

That was my man.

As Dean moved in to powerslam McIntyre – who desperately needed to make a tag fast – he was suddenly caught off-guard by a counter and I actively yelped as the knee caught Dean's stomach and sent him reeling back with a growl. The momentary pause gave McIntyre traction and he turned to push himself off the ropes. Recovering quickly, Dean did the same thing and I held my breath as they ran towards each other, bracing myself for a horrible crash. Fortunately however, that didn't happen but _un_ fortunately it was because McIntyre had other plans and as Dean swung a vicious forearm in his direction, the Scotsman ducked and performed a near-perfect baseball slide, out of the ring and straight under the ropes.

He came to a sudden and direct halt in front of me and I blinked in surprise, then alarm.

 _Uh oh_.

Despite having been nothing but pleasant to me backstage the few times I had brought him towels or a drink, the fact I was out there with The Shield boys had changed things and although he merely stared at me for a second, it was quickly replaced by a malicious looking grin. Before I could even follow my promise – _get to safety, get to King_ – he had stepped towards me and blocked off my escape route, backing me up a pace as he did.

My heart began to thump loudly in my ribcage and my palms grew moist as uncertainty kicked in. What the hell was I supposed to do now? Where did I go to? Where was Dean?

As it turned out I didn't actually _need_ him because a split second later a black blur entered the fray and piled himself bodily – horizontally – into McIntyre and positively catapulted him away. I jumped and let out a yelp of astonishment as Roman stood up from the Scotsman's broken carcass and let out an almighty sounding roar.

" _Oooooh_."

Around us the audience was coming alive again and the energy fed down and mixed with the tension to create a crackling _storm-front_ of emotion that flooded across the participants like a shroud. It felt like the place was tinder-dry scrubland and every last person was holding a lit match. It was terrifying and breathtaking and exciting all in one swoop and I _tingled_ with it.

Then I looked up.

Jinder Mahal and Heath Slater were coming my way, having lumbered down from their positions on the apron to stalk unhappily right round the sides. Clearly they were not pleased with their teammate's recent spearing and were looking to somehow even the odds. They were already almost past the commentary position and although Roman moved to stand protectively in front of me, I wasn't sure how well he would fare two on one. Once again however, that wasn't a problem because at the exact same moment that an almighty cheer rose up, Seth and Dean launched out of the ring.

As in _physically_ out of it.

They took to the air.

The breath left my throat as I gaped at my boyfriend, watching wide-eyed as he dove straight into Slater and pushed him up and over the desk. Michael Cole skittered back in evident panic as the redheaded wrestler backflipped his way, somersaulting right over the expanse of the announce table before ending up in a heap at their feet. Mahal received similar treatment from Seth and in the blink of an eye both he and Dean were on their feet again and the entirety of 3MB lay scattered on the floor like they'd gotten drunk and passed out at a wedding under the top table surrounded by cake.

"There's bodies _everywhere_ – ,"

"This match has completely broken-down – ,"

Well, broken down from the perspective of the _competitors_ because from where The Shield were standing it was looking pretty good. Then, without warning – as always seemed to happen – the lights in the arena suddenly went out, lancing a bolt of terror clean through me and turning my blood to little chips of ice.

 _No._

As a hand wrapped in around my wrist I screamed hysterically and was instantly pulled up against a warm, firm chest,

"Easy Princess, it's just me."

"Dean," I gasped, exhaling all my breath at once and turning towards him to grip at his vest, "They're coming to get me, they'll take me away again – ,"

"Hey, I won't let them. Listen to me, okay? I'm not gonna let them take you Lauren. I told you before, I'm not losin' you again."

Leaning in I dipped my head against his collarbone, hoping the proximity would help keep us glued. At the same time however my body was on tenterhooks, at any moment expecting to feel Bray's fingers and be ripped away from the comfort and the warmth.

Why the hell would the lights not come on? Usually with Bray's attacks, the darkness was momentary – a cover to allow them to get into the ring – but this time it seemed to drag on forever and it still wasn't back in any great measure when I finally looked up and got a glimpse of Bray himself. Not in front of me, but on the screen above the titantron, grinning as he pointed a camera in his face.

"Mockingbird," he sung and I shuddered on instinct despite the fact that Dean was still holding me tight, "You disappointed me the other night – running away from Bray like that. I keep on telling you I'm just trying to protect you. But you can't see that yet. It's alright, you will. First I need to purge the unhealthy things from you – the people that have hurt you and tried to cause you harm. Then you'll see that Bray's your very best friend. My Little Bird? This is for you."

Then the camera spun away from his face and switched to a different angle somewhere else. For a minute it seemed as if the moment was over and Dean let out a growl,

"He's really startin' to piss me off with that whole _Little Bird_ shit."

I hummed at him worriedly.

He wasn't the only one.

Still the arena lights refused to come back on and the slow sinking feeling in my stomach was confirmed when the camera suddenly picked up a figure, crossing the backstage parking garage.

 _Oh god_.

It was Hunter.

My fingers tightened instantly around Dean and we both stood in silence – the crowd hushed around us – watching as my father continued unawares.

"Dean?" I whispered, "Why is he filming Hunter?"

Dean shook his head at me, his brows drawn together as if he was running through the options and coming up with none. Eventually he shook his head just a little, his eyes not leaving the screen for a second.

"Honestly Lauren? I don't know. Who the fuck knows what he's thinkin', _ever_?"

The camera continued to follow Hunter eerily and I slowly became aware of a noise in the background, a pulsing, repetitive, impatient sort of backbeat. Wait, was that a revving engine? Then Hunter turned and stared. His eyes widened slightly and he suddenly threw his arms up and even before it had actually happened, I instinctively realized what I was about to see. Sure enough, a second later, a white sedan sped in, slamming on the brakes an inch from my father and crashing straight into him, throwing him up onto the hood.

Despite the fact I'd been half expecting it, the scene was still an impossible one to watch and yet I couldn't make myself look away either. My eyes were wide and glued to it in horror and my stomach didn't just turn, it _kept_ on rolling over, rising bodily into my throat and only being stopped by the scream that tore out.

" _No_ – ,"

Hunter's body slammed up against the windshield and was then thrown off by the suddenness of the breaking, sliding limply over the paintwork and then tumbling into a pile of boxes beyond.

" _No_ ," I wept, repeating it brokenly, " _No, no, no_."

Dean's hands came down around me firmly and I realized that at some point I had dropped to my knees. My body was useless, limp and unfeeling and I couldn't do anything. I couldn't function. I couldn't _think_.

Suddenly the lights came back on around us to the sight of me half-crumpled on the floor and Dean crouched beside me, holding me against him but utterly powerless to make things right. Seth and Roman came in close but said nothing. What the hell was there to possibly be said?

Bray Wyatt had driven a car into my father.

Bray Wyatt had killed him.

Hunter was dead.

* * *

 **I repeat,** _ **don't**_ **hate me, I know what I'm doing. Cliffhangers are good things, say it with me now,** _ **good**_ **...**


	36. Save A Prayer

**Okay ladies and gents, cliffhanger over...**

 **Skovko, You** _ **are**_ **good, have a cookie - and yes, that 'bodies everywhere' bit is a totally overused phrase. I mean, I get it when there are like twenty men down, but when it's just two or three it's kind of an overkill!**

 **Psion53, I love all the intrigue this story is creating! Yeah, basically this whole story is an exercise in Dean being protective over a girl. I'm happy to admit that was my initial plot bunny and then it just** _ **evolved**_ **into this!**

 **Labinnacslove, I think insanity is a pretty good way of summing this up at the moment!**

 **Raze Olympus, Don't panic, it's all okay, read on for some feels (well, at least I hope!)**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Yeah but who doesn't love a good cliffhanger really? (Except for when it's at the end of a season and then you find out the show got cancelled and you never find out what happens...that sucks…) This chapter should put you out of your misery though, maybe a little!**

 **MizHyde, Haha, you see right through me as ever! But yeah, I am kind of mean to Hunter in this story. Not sure why I ended up bashing him so much. Guess it just turned out that way! He can take it though, he's tough...he might want to get himself a lucky rabbit's foot though!**

 **ThatGirl54, I do love to throw in a curveball now and then, just to keep you all on your toes!**

 **Debwood-1999, Your instincts on that one might be right, luckily I'm not going to leave you in suspense for any longer. All will be revealed down below!**

 **Mandy, I treated myself to cake at work today. We were supposed to be having a serious meeting and I just assumed we would all have cake, naturally turned out that I was the only one who did but my life rule is never turn down cake! Glad my stories make you happy, that's a really great thing to hear!**

 **Go for it everyone...**

* * *

 **Save A Prayer**

As it turned out – thank god – Hunter wasn't dead but he _was_ badly injured as a result of the attack and for the next ten minutes the cameras hovered over him as he was loaded into an ambulance and taken away. The Shield had managed to get me up on my feet again but we arrived at the scene just moments too late and I stood in shock staring at the aftermath with frantic tears streaming down my face. I didn't even realize that Dean was getting the low-down until he grabbed my hand and started stalking away, towing me along in a half-daze behind him as he clipped out facts that I only vaguely heard,

"They've taken him to the State University Hospital. I'll get you over there, the guys can take our stuff back to the hotel, right?"

Roman and Seth were walking beside us – something else I hadn't registered – and they nodded as one,

"Right."

"Sure thing man."

"Hey," Roman put a hand on my shoulder, "Hope everything turns out alright Baby Girl."

Seth pointed a finger at Dean,

"Keep us in the loop, you hear?"

I simply blinked at them in bewilderment and let Dean drag me towards the car. I didn't even _speak_ for the first ten minutes then something in me broke and I just couldn't stop.

"What – what if we get there and he's – he's dead?"

Dean swung us out into traffic and then cursed in annoyance as the lights turned red.

"He's not dead Lauren, when they took him away he was stable."

"But what if something's happened since then? What if we get there and – _oh god_ – I can't lose another parent Dean, I can't. It isn't fair. What have I done?"

As I blinked a string of tears trickled straight down my face and Dean reached across and cupped my cheek, making me look at him as he brushed them away,

"Lauren, I'm tellin' you he'll be fine, You haven't seen him do some of the shit I have. He's been dropped from a fuckin' _forklift truck_ and he came out of it okay. You're not losin' anyone else Princess, I promise."

Instead of answering I hiccupped down a sob,

"Stephanie's going to be there."

"So? Fuck her. You're there to see Hunter – got nothin' to do with her."

"But what if she won't let me see him? Or – or tries to get me thrown out of there, or – ,"

"Then she'll have to get past me, alright? Besides, how can she do that when you're his daughter? She might be his crazy bitch of a wife, but no way can she fuckin' kick you out. You've got as much right to be there as she does. Maybe more."

I wanted to believe him, really I did, but the anxieties were swirling in like a mist and beginning to choke all the oxygen away. The thought of being an actual orphan wrapped around me and wouldn't let go and all I could think about was our last conversation and how vitriolic and angry I had been. What if I never got the chance to make it up to him? What if we never got to be father and daughter again?

By the time we arrived at the hospital I felt dizzy and had to once more rely on Dean to pull me along. He got a few looks given that he was still kinda sweaty and wearing his wrestling gear and vest but as ever he took the situation like a trooper and I was just so god damn grateful he was there. I was going to have to thank him for that later.

He really was completely amazing.

As an admissions desk loomed up in front of us, the woman sitting behind it glanced our way and Dean wasted little time getting the facts out like he was well-versed in emergency medicine protocol. Given his career path, he probably was.

"Hunter Hearst Helmsley – hit by a car – where'd they take him?"

The woman merely stared and for a second it looked like she was going to be difficult.

"Pl-please," I forced out instinctively, "We – we _need_ to know. I'm his daughter."

The woman softened instantly and she quickly typed the details into her computer. My heart thumped loudly as we waited for her to say something and for a moment I wondered if everyone could hear. It sounded like a marching band was parading through my ribcage and it physically _hurt_ each pump was so strong.

"Fourth floor. He went up to surgery a couple of minutes ago."

The bottom dropped out of my stomach,

" _Surgery_?"

It was almost _worse_ than I could have imagined. He needed an operation. He was critically hurt. Bray Wyatt had driven a car at my father and nearly killed him all because of me. Suddenly my fears came swirling back in again and I started to suck in deep rattling breaths. In the background I could vaguely make out Dean still talking and then I felt – but didn't register – him leading me off. It wasn't until I was startled by a _ping_ that I even realized we were no longer standing in front of the desk. Instead we were in the elevator, speeding up to the fourth floor and Dean was bracing me firmly against him, rubbing his thumb across my arm,

"Lauren, it's okay – ,"

I shook my head,

"N-no, it isn't. Hunter's in _surgery_. He n-needs an operation and it's all my fault."

"What? How the fuck did you figure _that_?"

"B-because Bray – ,"

" _No_ ," Dean interrupted me firmly, "Nothin' he does is ever on you, okay? He's stalkin' you Lauren. That's not your fault. None of this is or ever _will_ be your fault."

I buried my head deep into his vest and despite the fact that the buckles dug into me, in the moment I simply didn't care. Instantly Dean's arms folded around me and we spent the rest of the ride in a hug. The tears were trickling down my face again miserably, but this time I let them. There was no stopping them now.

"I'm so glad you're here," I mumbled into him and he snorted and placed a kiss in my hair, "I couldn't do any of this without you."

"You don't have to Lauren, I'm not goin' anywhere."

The doors opened up straight onto the waiting area and so the face first I saw when I looked up from Dean's chest was the one I wanted to see the least and judging from the way her own expression crumpled, she was pretty much thinking the same thing about me.

" _No_ ," Stephanie gaped in outrage in our direction, "No, you can't be here. I want you to go."

Go?I blinked. She couldn't be serious? But despite the fact that I could feel my anger mounting, my legs still refused point-blank to move and in the end it was up to Dean to pull me after him as he stepped towards her with a warning-sounding growl,

"You don't own the hospital _Steph._ So she doesn't have to listen to a damn word you say."

"My husband's in surgery – ,"

"So's her old man. She's his _blood_. She's got every right to be here."

It was a strange thing watching Stephanie's reaction. Almost like I was seeing a different version of her. It was still a horribly bitchy version and angry and malicious but it was also something else and as the tears began to build in her eyes I realized we were seeing her _vulnerable_ side. I mean, who knew she actually _had_ one? Unfortunately it didn't last long.

"Every right? After what she said to him?"

I stiffened instinctively. After what I'd said? It was clear she was talking about when Hunter had come to Vegas and I bristled instinctively.

 _After what I'd said?_

Somewhere in my head it was like the panic-fog was lifting and my fingers twitched as the blood rushed back in. Stephanie was the reason that Hunter and I had argued. Stephanie McMahon Helmsley. Nobody else. The woman had tried to frighten me out of the company, had tried to run me over, while pretending to be my friend. Now here she was, standing in front of me, trying to make out like that was my fault. The Wyatt thing I was happy to take the blame on, but _this_ bullshit was something else and as she opened her mouth to level more at me, I promptly snapped.

" _That's enough_."

My shout echoed in off the stark walls around us and across at the desk, a nurse looked up. Stephanie meanwhile simply blinked at me in astonishment and I assumed she was surprised that I had finally blown. Again she opened her mouth to say something and again I simply cut her off,

"I'm not here for you, I'm here for my father, so _please_ , just tell me how he is," Stephanie snorted and folded her arms and my own eyes darkened, "Fine, have it your way. See if I care. I'll just go and ask a doctor and tell them that my celebrity stepmother wouldn't share. Don't worry though, I'm sure when it comes out in the papers it's going to paint you in a _really_ good light."

I spun on my heels and collided with Dean, who was grinning as he quickly stepped out of my way. Clearly, despite the severity of our predicament, he was happy to have _Gutsy Lauren_ back again and seeing the spark of pride in his eyes fuelled my resolve – which in turn broke Steph's.

" _Wait_ ," she barked, before sighing resentfully and letting her arms flop down to her sides, "Hunter's been taken in for surgery."

"I know that. What I want to know is why?"

"They're worried about internal bleeding. They're performing a laparoscopy on him now."

She sounded almost defeated or broken and as the heat died away, I softened my tone,

"Is that all? Was there anything else?"

"He's got broken ribs, a broken right femur and a serious concussion – but the CT scan was clear. If the doctors can stop the suspected bleeding then they think there's every chance he'll make a full recovery."

The news was an incredible relief and I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and felt my shoulders start to relax.

"Wow, okay, that's – that's good," I looked up at her and nodded my head, "Thank you."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say.

" _Thank you_?" she sneered, before letting out a laugh, "You just threatened me. I told you because I had to. Do you really think I did it out of kindness or respect?"

"Oh I'm sorry, would you prefer me to have pretended we were friends while slowly trying to drive you insane? After all that _is_ more your style."

Her eyes narrowed instantly but I determinedly stood my ground and in the end it was only the _ping_ of the elevator and the interjection of a new voice that broke the icy stand-off.

"Is there a problem here?"

I turned with a frown – as did Dean – and we both blinked in shock at Randy freakin' Orton. Instantly Stephanie's posture shifted and she moved from _defensive_ to _utterly smug_.

"Not at all Randy, Lauren was just leaving."

I shook my head resolutely,

"No I'm not."

To be honest I'd never had dealings with Orton beyond handing him a water or a towel, but there had always been something unsettling about him and as he swept his cold eyes over me, I felt it again. He stepped in towards us and Dean instantly copied him. I could almost _feel_ him tensing as he stared the champ down.

"What the hell are you doin' here Orton?"

"I'm here to show my support for the boss – both of them. I mean, I could ask why _you're_ here but I'm gonna guess it's because of your pretty little girlfriend over there."

Dean stepped closer as Randy looked my way. The heat was _radiating_ up off his shoulders.

"Orton, I swear to fuckin' god – ,"

"Hey, come on Dean," Randy smirked viciously, "We're in a hospital. Show a little class."

Then he crossed towards Steph and stood so close to her that their hips were almost touching. I knew it was supposed to intimidate me a little but after everything I'd been through it genuinely didn't. Well – okay – _that_ was a lie but it didn't stop me from fighting my corner.

"I'm not going anywhere – you can't drive me away. You tried and you failed. It's not going to work. Hunter's my father and I'm his daughter. I care about him, okay?"

"Care?" Stephanie screeched like I had cracked a bad joke, "You didn't exactly _care_ last week when he flew out to bring you home. You threw it back in his face."

No.

Just no.

She was _not_ starting this shit. My fists clenched tightly and I could feel myself shaking. I had never been so mad in all my life. It felt like I was about to physically burst and it took everything I had not to stamp across and slap her. Maybe there was wrestling blood in me after all?

" _Because of you_ ," I yelled instead, "Because no way in _hell_ would I _ever_ live with you. Are you insane? You tried to kill me. You tried to roll an actual truck over me. You're so caught up in your own pathetic wallowing that you haven't stopped to think that might have been _me_ in surgery if your plan had worked out. How could you think I would want to be around you? How could either of you think I would be okay? You're a vicious bitch Stephanie McMahon Helmsley and I'm sorry it hurt Hunter, but I want _nothing_ to do with you."

Throughout my speech – okay, my rant – Randy had been slowly starting to smile and as I came to my vitriolic finale, he chuckled a little and moved away from Stephanie to take a seat in one of the chairs. For a second I blinked at him in confusion and then I worked it out. I _think_ he liked my spunk. Either way it allowed for Dean to stand-down and the tension instantly eased off a notch. Had I just called my stepmother a bitch?

 _Did you see that mom? I did good, huh?_

The tension ebbed further as Stephanie's phone rang and she turned off to answer it, giving us space. Dean pulled us over to the other side of the waiting room and physically pressed me down into a chair. The seat was warped from legions of nervous relatives but it at least took the pressure off my trembling knees. As Dean sunk down with a heavy grunt beside me, I turned and burrowed in under his arm, laying my head against his heartbeat and using its rhythm to keep myself even. He kissed my hairline and rubbed a thumb across my temple and I allowed myself a shaky sounding sigh,

"I gotta say Princess, I _love_ when you kick ass like that. Not gonna lie, it's a hell of a turn-on."

Despite myself I snorted at him,

"You're terrible. We're in hospital."

"I know, right? Lots of beds."

He was doing it to make me laugh and I snorted softly although it quickly turned to tears.

"So what do we do now?"

"We just have to wait."

I shook my head against his combat jacket and sucked in a sob,

"I don't think I can."

"Hey," he murmured, pulling me closer and settling us both further down in the chair, "You can do _anythin'_ baby. Includin' takin' on your crazy ass stepmother. I'm so fuckin' proud of you right now and that's how I know you'll get through this, alright? Besides, you heard what the Wicked Witch said. The docs say Hunter's gonna pull through."

I took a deep breath to steady my anxieties and nodded slowly. Dean was right. Who was I kidding? Dean was _always_ right and I loved him so much that I suddenly thought my heart might burst.

"Will you stay with me?"

"Of course I will," he kissed my hair again, "For as long as you need me."

"How about forever?"

"Well," he shrugged, "I might have to move some stuff, but I'm pretty sure I can make that work."

The next two hours were the longest of my life and even for _me_ – who'd spent a lot of time waiting in hospitals over the last twelve or so months – the sense of not knowing and utter helplessness was awful. What was happening? Why wasn't there any news? Thankfully after returning from her phone call, Stephanie and I had decided to keep apart and so although we periodically glared at one another we hadn't re-started World War Three. From what she was telling Randy, Vince was flying in and I groaned at the thought.

 _Another_ McMahon.

Fortunately however by the time we got news, his plane hadn't even touched the ground and so it was only the two of us jostling for position when a weary-looking doctor emerged.

"The Helmsley family?"

"I'm his wife."

Dean rolled his eyes and pushed me forward gently,

"This is his daughter over here."

The doctor nodded but didn't seemed fussed. She was probably used to family dramas and had learnt to ignore them and get on with her work. Her explanation was brief but reassuring and she wasted little time in getting straight to the point.

"Hunter had an intra-abdominal bleed – not uncommon in blunt force traumas. Thankfully it was only light and we were able to cauterise without the need for more invasive surgery – ,"

"So he's going to be fine?" Stephanie interrupted and although briefly troubled by a flicker of annoyance, the doctor let the intrusion pass.

"His prognosis at this point is remarkably good."

I let out a long and shaky breath and Dean put his arms around me from behind, pulling me back into him and giving me stability as my whole body started to quake in relief.

"He's out of recovery now and awake and he's asking for you."

"Well it's about damn time," Stephanie nodded, turning to snatch her bag up from the chair. She was already moving when the doctor stopped her, holding up both hands with a slightly smug frown,

"No, I'm sorry – not you Mrs. Helmsley," she turned towards me, "He's asking for you."

" _Me_?" I blinked,

" _Her_?" Stephanie blinked after me and the doctor nodded and took a step back, beckoning for me to follow her along which I did when Dean dug his fingers in my spine.

Me? He had seriously asked for _me_? I didn't know whether to feel pleased or alarmed. From the moment he had been hit all I had wanted to do was talk to him. But now it seemed like a genuine prospect and I literally had no idea what to say. Where did we start? How did we fix things? What if he was angry with me?

My breathing sped up.

Turning to glance back over my shoulder, I drank in the faces watching me go – Randy still sitting with a sneering expression, Dean across the waiting room willing me on and Stephanie who looked half-angry, half- _broken_ and was clearly plotting my early demise. Perhaps unsurprisingly I glanced back at Dean again and shrugged my shoulders.

 _Here I go_.

Hunter's room was at the end of the corridor and befitting his status and the company insurance, was big, bright, airy and had its own bathroom. In fact, if I was going to be specific, it was almost better than my room at the hotel, although all that faded into total insignificance as he looked up from the bed and broke into a smile.

"Lauren," he breathed, or – well – kinda _croaked_ , "You're okay. Thank god. I was worried about you. I thought that Wyatt might have done something to you,"

"No, I – I'm fine."

It was strange to see him lying in hospital and for the first time – despite his bulk – he looked _vulnerable_. In a hospital gown with his thigh in bright plaster and propped up by a sling. There were bruises on his face and machines beeped around him and realizing how close I had actually come to losing him, I couldn't help but let out a sudden little sob.

"Hey, hey now," Hunter replied instinctively, struggling to sit himself up further and then wincing as the movement pulled at his wound. Fighting down a curse of discomfort, he put his hand out and snagged up my wrist, towing me in closer and essentially doing what any real father would, "It's okay kiddo. I'm okay. Come here. _Sssh_ , hey now. It's all alright."

I let him pull me down onto the mattress, bumping up alongside his hip. His arms wrapped gently around me seconds later and I folded into him a cautious little bit. If initially I had been worried there would be tension, then thankfully it didn't show up and we sat in the hug for several minutes, reassuring ourselves that the other was still there.

"Hunter, I'm sorry for what I said to you," I offered him after we had both sat back, "I didn't set out to hurt your feelings. I was just confused and angry and really upset."

Hunter shook his head and covered my hand warmly,

"Lauren, you don't need to – that wasn't your fault. I should never have just shown up and expected that you would come with me. I thought I knew best. I always do. It never occurred to me that you were happy with Ambrose. I've only ever thought about what _I_ want. I haven't listened to you and I'm sorry. _You_ have got nothing to apologize about."

"Really?"

"Really. Now, what do you think? Can we start this all over?"

"I'd like that," I nodded, before putting my hand out, "Pleased to meet you, I'm Lauren and I'm your daughter."

He shook it firmly,

"I'm Hunter and I'm your dad."

Shivers rippled through me on hearing that sentence and although we still had _tons_ to discuss, it felt like we were back on track and moving at full speed again. Then the door to the room banged open accompanied by a shrill sounding voice.

"I don't care – I'm going in there. I'm not going to stand outside _waiting_ anymore," Stephanie was wildly framed in the doorway, arguing with some poor orderly who she quickly pushed aside the second she spotted her husband, "Oh god, Hunter, oh baby."

I only had seconds to slither off the bed as she moved in like an Exocet missile, throwing herself down where I had been sat and kissing him like it was their last night together. If I didn't still hate her so much, it might have even been a half-way sweet reunion but just the mere sight of her completely killed my mood and I began to feel the progress with Hunter failing. How could we forge any kind of relationship as long as she was always there?

"Alright, alright Steph – honey, I'm okay."

The reunion went on for several minutes – or maybe seconds and it _felt_ longer than that – before finally Hunter managed to calm his wife down. Throughout it all I stood across the room, watching and wondering whether I should step out, feeling both part of it and yet unwelcome all at once. As I turned towards the doorway however, my father's voice hit me.

"What more could I want, huh? My two favourite girls in the same room together. Lauren, come over here and give your old man another hug."

Quickly I glanced at Stephanie's expression and what I found caught me by surprise. Whereas in the waiting room she'd wanted to kill me, suddenly she was smiling again. She didn't need to – Hunter couldn't see her – so why the hell was she? I could _not_ work her out. As I stood undecided she stretched a hand out to me, beckoning me closer, _inviting_ me in.

 _You were her sperm donor. You weren't anything else._

As her vicious words from the week before came back to me, I suddenly felt myself shaking my head. I wanted to have a relationship with Hunter but I hadn't forgiven Stephanie. How could I? She hadn't even apologized. In short I didn't want her in my life. Hunter's brow fell a little in confusion before he seemed to realize,

"Lauren, please. We've talked about this. She didn't mean it. Can't you forgive her?"

 _Are you kidding_? I wanted to scream. Had he forgotten that his damn wife nearly run me over? Instead however I buttoned my lip and shook my head again,

"I'm sorry – I really am. I _know_ how much you want this. But too much has happened and I don't have it in me. I – I don't think I can ever trust her again."

Stephanie shifted slightly beside him and looked at me with what was either confusion or remorse. I briefly wondered if she finally _got_ it but given who it was, I figured probably not.

"Lauren, we're a family," she cooed, "Please, for _Hunter_."

But emotional blackmail wouldn't work this time and shaking my head again, I backed towards the doorway, feeling our relationship crumble apart. We had come so close – _so close_ – to fixing it but then, in the final minutes, he'd again sided with his wife. Pausing on the threshold, I swallowed a lump down and blinked away the gathering tears. Hunter's expression was pretty gut-wrenching and I felt like a _bitch_ for walking away, but in standing my ground I was making a statement. I wasn't going to let the McMahons rule my life.

"Hunter," I whispered, "I'm glad you're okay and I really mean that. But you have to choose. When you decide who you want in your life, come and find me. You know where I'll be. I'll be with Dean. I – I hope you're feeling better soon."

Shutting my eyes briefly like it would block out Hunter calling me, I turned and walked with my head up from the room. It took about two seconds for my resolve to run out again and by the time I reached the waiting room, I was sobbing like a child. As Dean came up to meet me, frowning in confusion, I positively threw myself into his arms.

"It's over," I spluttered as he _shushed_ me soothingly, "I think – I think I just said goodbye."

He didn't ask questions until we were back in the hotel room and even then I was too choked up to explain. I knew that Hunter would never abandon Stephanie and I didn't blame him either. It made me respect him _more_. I knew it was going to be hard to be at work with them – being so close but apart at the same time – but that was something I would have to get used to. Wrestling was my life now and I wasn't going anywhere. On top of that it had given me a family, only instead of being blood, I had The Shield and Dean. Before that evening, it had felt like enough for me and I was confident that it would feel that way again.

 _Sorry mom. I just couldn't make it work._

 _Please tell me I did the right thing._

* * *

 **Do you really think I could have killed Hunter? I'm mean, but not** _ **that**_ **mean! Things still aren't happy though. Only a few more chapters to go now, so strap yourselves in folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride!**


	37. Between A Rock And A Hard Place

**So, I think it's time for a nice quiet chapter where everybody sits down and has a nice cup of tea. No just kidding, this one's pretty manic! Gotta ramp things up as we climb towards the end!**

 **Skovko, I agree that Hunter would never leave Stephanie, but we're not quite done with those two yet! And yes, you can definitely have a chocolate cookie, one of those big doughy ones (great, I'm hungry now!)**

 **Labinnacslove, Not to worry, there's more Dean and Lauren, turns out I wasn't able to completely give them up!**

 **Debwood-1999, He called her something else when I started this story and it morphed into that because it fit with the song. I could just imagine him singing it really eerily and so I went back and changed it to up the Wyatt chills!**

 **Wrestlechic1, Randy** _ **might**_ **pop up in another story, so he was there to sow the seeds (saying nothing more). Funny that you should mention the Wyatts, because here they are again!**

 **Psion53, Stephanie's mood swings tire me out and I wrote them! We've still got a couple more of them to come as well (this chapter included). She's a typical McMahon!**

 **Raze Olympus, Haha, so I think we know whose side you're on! Still got some miles left on Stephanie in this story though, so you'll have to put up with her a little bit more.**

 **Kayla English, In this story almost anything can happen, it's not over until it's over (that's neither yes or no!)**

 **Mandy, Don't worry, there's more of these two already in the pipeline and I'm also writing another Dean story as well. Kind of in a real writing groove at the moment. So many ideas, not enough time to type!**

 **IcePrincess1987, Don't worry, I promise I won't leave you disappointed (big promise but I think I can deliver on it...I hope!)**

 **MizHyde, When is anything really over with the McMahons? They're kind of like the bubonic plague of wrestling, they never really go away! No, I'm only kidding, you know I love them really (well, some more than others on which point we both agree!)**

 **I think the title says it all on this one...**

* * *

 **Between A Rock And A Hard Place**

The next night at Smackdown the mood was sombre, which was fine by me because it summed me up as well.

The entire day had been difficult for me and although Dean had done his best to pick me up, there was still no getting over what had happened.

My father had been _hit by a car_ driven by the crazy cult leader who was stalking me and not only had I seen it happen, I'd had to wait for him to pull through the surgery as well. As if all that hadn't been enough however, I had then divorced myself from my family and so the day was spent, sort of, I guess _mourning_ Hunter. I mean, _he_ was still living but our relationship wasn't and although I fully stood by my decision, it didn't make it easier.

In fact it was hell.

The only thing that made it better was knowing that Stephanie would be absent for once and given the enormity of what they'd done to Hunter, it was likely the Wyatts would be as well.

 _When you decide who you want in your life, come and find me._

The words whirred round and round in my head and I just couldn't shake them no matter what I tried. I needed work to keep me sane but whereas before I had been terrified at being ringside, tonight I could hardly wait for it to start. Anything – _anything_ – to stop me mulling it over and constantly thinking too damn hard.

We were five minutes from show time when Matty turned up and we greeted each other with a bone-crushing hug,

"Are you okay? _Duh_. What a stupid question. Your dad had _surgery_. Of course you're not."

I shrugged a little and scratched my arm absently and Dean reached over to make me stop,

"Uh, I mean, it's all kinda _broken_ but I'm still here, I guess that's something right?"

"Damn straight Baby Girl," Roman put in deeply, using a bottle to dampen his hair. Honestly, it was kind of impressive that Matt was in their locker room without freaking out but as it turned out it wasn't for a catch-up that he had taken the trouble of walking so far out.

"Listen sweetie," he took my hands tightly, "I've just had word that Stephanie's showed up."

My mouth dropped open in astonishment,

" _What_? But – but what about Hunter? Why is she here?"

Shunting Matt aside with his shoulder, Dean stepped in to take his place, cupping my cheeks with his taped up palms and gently stroking my skin with his thumbs.

"Princess, it's fine. We talked about this. You knew you would have to face her sometime."

"But I thought it would be next week or next month or – you know – maybe next _year_."

"Well," Seth shrugged, "Then think about it this way. Better to get this whole thing over and done with. Like ripping off a band-aid. You gotta do it nice and fast."

I took a deep breath and nodded my head, rocking it up and down in Dean's hands. It certainly helped that the guys were there with me and it helped even more that I knew they had my back. They might have been Authority minions but when it came right down to it they were _my_ guard dogs and I smiled somewhat weakly,

"Yeah, you're right."

After giving Matty one last hug we set off to make the usual ring entrance and although the fans crowded round us again and shouted and took a million photos, I wasn't as scared as I had been before and the knowledge helped my shaken confidence. Going down to the ring was actually almost fun and although the guys kept tightly around me, I even slapped the hands of a couple of kids and watching their smiles widen lit me right up.

Maybe the whole wrestling thing really _had_ been passed down. Well, okay, maybe not the actual wrestling but the showmanship if nothing else.

In fact it was all going stupidly well and since The Shield had come down first, I actually climbed up into the ring after them and stood to one side as they played up to the crowd. Then their music died and they took a step backwards, waiting for their unfortunate opponents to show up.

In total they waited for almost thirty seconds, but nothing happened and then suddenly, the whole place went black.

 _Shit._

"Lauren?" I heard Dean instantly call out but as I opened my mouth to sound my way towards him a hand wrapped tightly around my throat, "Lauren? Talk to me."

My heart near exploded and it felt like my insides physically jolted before swiftly turning into ice. I knew the hand that was curled in around me and I shuddered as I was pulled back into the belly as well.

 _Bray._

"Easy Little Bird," he grumbled as I whimpered, a tear already streaking down my face, "You knew this was coming. You shouldn't have come out here. The time has come to make your little boyfriend pay."

My stomach tightened on instinct.

 _Dean._

Swinging my arm back, I tried to hit him but only found myself in greater pain as he caught it easily and twisted it behind me whilst tightening his hold around my throat. My free hand came up to try and pry his fingers off and I let out a pathetic sounding, involuntary yelp.

" _Lauren_?"

"De – ," I broke off coughing and at that exact moment the lights came back on.

His face almost made me break down even more and if I hadn't been so busy struggling for oxygen then I might have even done it. Dean looked _crushed_ , devastated that he hadn't been able to protect me but burning with fury at the same time. Harper and Rowan stood on either side of me and Roman and Seth glared over as well. It was a good old-fashioned wrestling stare-down and I was in the middle, being used as a pawn.

"Let her go Wyatt," Dean spat fiercely, unable to stop from stomping in close but freezing as Bray wrenched my arm up further and made me cry out, "You're fuckin' _hurtin'_ her. You wanna take someone on, huh? Take me. Leave her out of this. You've fuckin' done enough."

Bray chuckled eerily and made me shudder as his hot unpleasant breath tickled past my ear,

"You think so do you _Dean_? I've done enough? Let me tell you boy, I'm just getting started."

Seth twitched angrily,

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Want?" Bray blinked, as if the idea was a novelty, "I want Mockingbird to be one of us."

Dean shook his head,

"No way, not happenin' because she'd never fuckin' do it and we'd never let her. So there goes that plan."

Bray's fingers tremored around my throat and I tried to claw them off to no avail. My eyes stayed on Dean's and he gazed back at me calmly, trying to reassure me as best as he could.

"I don't think you understand what's happening here _Dean_ ," Bray continued with another rough laugh. I was glad at least one of us was finding things funny, "This isn't her choice and it's not about The Shield. This little choice is all on _you_. See, what I want is a winner takes all match and the prize is going to be our little Mockingbird here."

As my heart seized up in abject fear, Dean frowned and offered up a condescending snort,

"Why the hell would I agree to that?"

"Because if you don't then – ,"

Suddenly Bray yanked up my arm and I let out a tortured-sounding cry as every last part of my limb complained bitterly. No sooner was the noise released however, than Bray tightened his grip around my throat and squeezed the breath out of me until I essentially couldn't breathe.

"You motherfuckin' – ,"

Dean stepped forwards, his face taut with fury but Bray merely tightened his grip again and I coughed as I drew in a tiny little mouse breath, unable to hide the panic from my face. I whimpered again – I just wanted out of this – and hearing it Bray smirked and bared his teeth at Dean,

"So what's it gonna be boy? She can't hold out much longer."

Dean glared dangerously,

"I'll come over there and kick your ass. It's three on three Bray, I like those odds."

He stepped in and Bray pulled my arm a little tighter but I could barely react because I didn't have the breath. As Seth and Roman moved in alongside him and Harper and Rowan tensed to intercept we were suddenly all startled by a blast of theme music and above a heavy backbeat, out came –

Stephanie McMahon.

 _Uh oh._

Just when I thought things couldn't get worse.

"Wyatt," she snapped in no nonsense tones, her shrill voice drowning out the _boos_ of the crowd, "In the past few weeks you have waged a campaign of terror, starting with setting fire to my car. Then last night you tried to kill my husband and you were warned what would happen if you showed up here tonight. Now you're hurting my defenceless stepdaughter. You have messed with my family too many times."

As she spoke a slew of security swarmed around her, flooding down the ramp way and circling the ring. Far from being put off however, Bray merely chuckled and further pulled my arm and the yell I let out could be heard from the titantron.

" _Give me my match_ ," Bray bellowed beside my ear and he didn't need a microphone to make his point, " _Winner takes all. I want my match_."

He shook me as he spoke and more tears started falling. I honestly didn't know how much longer I could last and as the situation grew ever more deadly, I heard Stephanie hurrying to offer a reply.

It was the very _last_ thing I wanted to hear.

"Alright Bray. Please just – don't hurt her. I'll give you your match. Sunday night. It's Bray Wyatt versus Dean Ambrose. The winner gets Lauren."

As the crowd erupted in a chorus of elation, I gasped – or actually, I _choked_ – in genuine fear. What the hell had she done to me? Did she hate me that much she was prepared to sell me out? Glancing across at Dean, I drank in his expression and it didn't seem a whole lot different from mine. No way in _hell_ would he have agreed to that match up, but now he didn't have a choice. He was equal parts furious, concerned and disbelieving. He also wanted to rip Bray apart. Right there, right then. Pay per view event be damned. As the security guards closed in tighter at ringside, Bray leant in to whisper in my ear.

"See you Sunday Mockingbird and don't worry, I'll take good care of you once you belong to me."

Then, as Dean stepped purposefully forward, all the lights went off again.

" _Lauren_ – ,"

I heard Dean bark but couldn't respond to him, as the big hand quickly unravelled from my throat and allowed me to slither down onto the mat again, crying and gasping all at once. My arm was throbbing as it flopped down by my side but I was alive and what was more, it seemed like Bray had gone. When the lights came back on, the Wyatts had vanished and I could finally breathe in more ways than one.

As everyone adjusted to the sudden shift in brightness the mat bounced violently and Dean wrapped me in his arms. He was talking at a million miles an hour and his voice sounded rougher than it usually was but I melted into him all the same, feeling my cheek scrape against his stubbled chin.

" _Fuck_. You okay? I shoulda fuckin' killed him. Baby? Lauren _look_ at me. You hurt?"

I couldn't answer, I was too busy crying which irritated my poor bruised throat. As I was suddenly gripped by a spasm of coughing, Dean pushed me back and lifted my chin, running his fingers over Bray's handprints and gritting his teeth whenever I winced. Evidently having seen enough, he pulled me back towards him again and stroked his hand across my hair while at the same time rubbing gentle circles round my back,

"I'm sorry baby. I'll fuckin' kill him. I promise you that bastard is dead."

"B-but – ," my voice came out scratchy, like I'd sung in the shower for an hour too long, "But what about Sunday? What if he _wins_ and – ,"

" _Sssh_ ," Dean pulled me close again, grumbling against my hair, "Not gonna fuckin' happen."

As Roman and Seth shuffled into my line of vision, Dean rose to his feet and helped me up with him. One of his hands was on my injured arm and I let out a whine as my shoulder protested which instantly made the others stiffen in alarm.

"Baby Girl?" Roman frowned, "Is it your arm?"

"Of course it is, man," Seth replied hotly, positively _rattling_ he was so amped up, "Wyatt damn near twisted it right off her. He would have _broken_ it if he'd been given the chance."

Dean stayed quiet but started probing my shoulder, working the socket with big warm thumbs. I let him do it, wincing occasionally but generally just enjoying his comforting touch. I didn't even realize I was crying again until a tear dripped off my jaw and onto my neck and seeing me jump at it, Dean let out a sigh and steered me towards the ropes,

"I'm takin' you home."

"Vegas?" I sniffled quietly and despite the situation – and the pain and the worry and the god damn _match_ – the smile he gave me made my heart flutter as I realized that I had referred to his place as _home_.

"Yeah," he murmured, taking my bad arm and supporting it gently as he guided me back out. Seth was there to lower the ropes down and Roman placed his broad hands either side of my hips, easing me out and letting Dean take over as he swept me off the apron and lead me slowly up the ramp, "But first we're gettin' someone to look at that shoulder and then I plan on fuckin' _murderin'_ your stepmother."

He wasn't kidding about that either because the second we limped our way into gorilla, I could feel him tense as he looked around for her. Wisely the backstage crew skittered from our path although Matt came up carefully, holding out an ice pack which Dean took from him and guided to my neck. I hissed a little at the dual pain and chilliness but it didn't take long for it to start feeling good.

"Where is she?" Dean snapped and Matt leant in closer,

"Her office but be careful, she's taken some guards."

"Don't you worry about them," Roman grunted, "I ain't had the chance to break heads tonight. 'Bout time I got started."

Seth snorted,

"Damn straight man."

With all-out war seemingly declared on my stepmother, Dean steered me carefully into the halls of the arena, caught between outright homicidal fury and trying to look after me and keep me from more harm. The closer we got to Stephanie's office, the more the former started to win and as two suited goons loomed up before the doorway, he let go of me and stepped straight up to them alone. Seth and Roman brushed past me seconds later and I stood in a daze as I watched them go to work.

 _Bang._

 _Bop._

 _Pow._

In many ways it was like watching an old movie and it worried me how little the violence freaked me out. Maybe I was numbed from having been half-strangled or maybe I was slowly getting hardened to their world. Either way it lasted only seconds and was over when Roman threw a guard into the door. The force of his body made the handle snap and the door exploded open and hammered up against the wall. It sounded like a bomb had gone off and even from outside I heard the sudden bark of alarm.

 _Stephanie._

That was it.

She was in there and needing to know little else beyond that fact, Dean stormed in swiftly followed by Roman and it was left down to Seth to steer me in behind.

"Come on Lauren, it's gonna be okay."

I nodded at him haltingly.

"Uh huh, I – I know."

Once we got inside it was standing room only and by the time I found a space against the wall, Dean was already expressing his viewpoint. By which I mean he was yelling in her face,

"What the hell is your fuckin' problem? Do you really hate her that fuckin' much that you would agree to this shit? Do you even realize what you've done?"

For her part Stephanie stared back at him coolly and I couldn't help but almost _admire_ what were obviously balls of solid rock. Then someone shifted across in one corner and as Roman rocked a little I spotted Randy Orton there. God the guy was like a simpering little lapdog. Never too far from the good graces of the boss. He was smirking again – I guessed that was his default – and I couldn't help but turn up my lips. For whatever reason, I just didn't like him and I didn't like that fact that he was there _at all_.

"Remember who you're talking to Dean," Stephanie's voice broke in across my musings, earning her a disparaging little snort,

"You? You're Lauren's evil stepmother, who just fuckin' _gambled_ her life away."

"Potentially," Stephanie retorted, "But only if _you_ don't win. Besides, you can come in here shouting and screaming but the truth is I'm the one who just saved her. Wyatt was _choking_ her. The reason she's still breathing is because _I_ made that deal. I didn't expect any thanks by the way. I did it because I'm in the habit of protecting my family."

There was a beat as we all drank _that_ bullshit in and I even managed a disbelieving laugh although it quickly descended into a further bout of coughing and Seth turned to give me a helpful rub on the back,

" _Protectin' your family_?" Dean spat out, "After everythin' you've done to her? Last week she was just the outcome of Hunter's one-night-stand and last night you tried to kick her outta the hospital. You really expect me to fuckin' believe that you've changed your opinion in twenty-four hours. What? Now you think she's one of you?"

Stephanie's eyes flickered over to me quickly and seemed to soften on seeing me, standing sadly with my ice pack. I'd thought she was difficult to work out _before_ but now we were entering new realms of confusion.

What the hell did she actually want?

"You may find this hard to believe," she answered, "But just because I haven't been – how shall I put this – the most _welcoming_ when it comes to Lauren, it _doesn't_ mean I like seeing her being attacked. You might hate me for it but I did what I had to do. I made that match because I wanted Bray to stop. But if you don't think you can win – ,"

Dean growled,

"I can win it. You don't have to worry about that."

"Well then," Stephanie spread her hands across the table, "I don't see the problem here."

" _The problem_ is you stickin' your nose in our business. You're not her family. You lost that fuckin' right. From now on – where _my_ girlfriend is concerned – you stay the hell away. The whole fuckin' _lot_ of ya."

As Randy stepped in closer and Stephanie took a breath, the atmosphere turned several shades darker. I loved the fact that Dean was sticking up for me and in the moment I had never felt so loved but at the same time he was placing them in a difficult position and I had little to no idea how things were going to work out. What if she fired him? Fired The Shield? What were they supposed to do then? My heart pounded fiercely, but then finally Steph nodded and shrugged, off-hand,

"If that's what you want."

"It is," Dean snapped, quickly spinning away from her and crossing over to wrap a guiding arm around my waist. With one hand still pressing the ice pack to my neckline, it was left to Dean to gentle cradle my throbbing arm, although as Seth and Roman fell-in behind us, Stephanie called out and I stiffened in alarm. Weirdly however, it didn't sound spiteful, her tone was soft and _genuine_?

 _What now_?

"Lauren? Have someone look at that shoulder."

I blinked back at her and she smiled a little, which surprised me more than everything else.

"Come on," Dean murmured and we stepped from the office.

I swear I just could _not_ figure her out.

* * *

 **So, thoughts on Stephanie? Which way are we going with her? Is she the devil incarnate or is she going to turn good? Also, what's going to happen with big bad Bray? Only five more chapters left until we're done!**


	38. Waking Up In Vegas

**Okay, so this is one of my favourite chapters and I don't really know why. It's super short but I just loved writing it, but then I always enjoy writing little moments between these two in the middle of all the crazy. So (I don't know) here you go!**

 **Skovko, *Gasps* Oh no, not my cookies! Okay, okay, I'll keep on writing, just, leave me a couple of chocolate chip ones at least!**

 **Psion53, She could very well be suffering some sort of a mental break with her mood swings or it could just be all those McMahon genes!**

 **AngelsDestiny22, I'm glad you're liking the build up, because after this one, it all goes wild again!**

 **Labinnacslove, You know, getting married would probably have been a simpler option for them. Unfortunately however I didn't think of that, so they're just going to have to do things the hard way!**

 **Debwood-1999, Bray is the** _ **bad guy**_ **...say it with me now! Yeah, I think you might be a little disappointed on his behalf, but I hope there's enough of a twist to still make it interesting when it comes.**

 **Mandy, I can be nice to Lauren as well, she gets a nice little breather in this chapter. Well, sort of.**

 **LiLCountry24, Then your wish is my command because here it is. Last stop before all the crazy!**

* * *

 **Waking Up In Vegas**

"Lauren? _Lauren_ – ,"

I woke with a start, still panting and shaking with hot tears running down my face. Around me the world lay in absolute darkness, devoid of any signs of light. There were arms pressed round me and fearing they were Bray's again I fought them fiercely and tried to cry out.

" _No_ – no, please – _please_ let go of me. I want to go home. I just want Dean – ,"

"Lauren, whoa – ,"

The lights flicked on suddenly and I blinked into the brightness in a confused and breathless haze. I was lying in a bed but I wasn't handcuffed to it and the room I was in looked strangely familiar but it definitely wasn't some sleazy motel. I frowned as a soft hot breeze blew through the window and stirred up a comforting, familiar smell. Whoever had their hands on my arms shuffled closer and pulled me back against them, groggy but alarmed,

"Lauren, it's me. It's okay, you were dreamin'."

"D-Dean?" I whispered,

"I've got you. You're safe."

As coherence came flooding back in like a tidal wave, I turned myself frantically so I could fold into his chest. Almost at once the tears started falling, although I guess technically they'd never really stopped. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer and then he sunk back down against the bed, taking me with him so we were propped against the pillows, with me crying so hard I was worried I'd never stop.

"I thought – ," I choked out, coughing and spluttering, "I thought he had – he had – ,"

"Easy baby. Nothin's gonna get you. Bray's not here. It's alright, he's gone."

But still the waterworks refused to stop. In fact, if anything they seemed to get worse,

"I hate him so much I _can't_ – don't let me take me. _Please_ don't let him take me away."

"Sssh," Dean murmured, kissing my head repeatedly, "Not gonna happen. _Ever_ , okay?"

It took a good while for the tears to stop falling but gradually the hysterics started fading away. My breath was still coming out in uneven shudders and my cheeks were slick and my eyes felt raw, but with Dean's arms around me and his lips pressed against me, I clawed my way back to _near normal_ again. Well, as normal as was possible when faced with the prospect of being gifted to a madman who had already held me captive once.

Since the ultimatum on Tuesday night's Smackdown, my head had been all over the place and even being with Dean in Vegas and hiking and cooking hadn't helped calm me down. It didn't help that he had been making lots of phone calls and constantly talking to Roman and Seth. Clearly they were planning something but he wouldn't talk about it and so I remained completely in the dark. We were two days away from the _Winner-Takes-All_ match and I had never been more scared in my life.

The nightmares were new though.

That was just _great_.

"Wanna talk about it?" Dean offered eventually, when I was down to just the occasional shaky breath, "I mean, that's what you're, like, supposed to do, right? Get it out in the open, or that kinda shit?"

I snuffled in amusement – it wasn't quite a laugh – and snuggled in closer.

"I don't know. Didn't you once tell me you didn't _do group therapy_?"

"It's different when I get to be the shrink."

"Is this some weird sexual fantasy you've never talked about?"

I tipped my head up to meet his groggy gaze and he leant in and kissed me firmly on the lips. It was a passionate touch and I felt myself sink into it, barely registering as he rolled me onto my back, shifting himself until he was resting on his forearms and staring down at me,

"Stop changin' the subject."

Oh he was crafty. I was utterly trapped.

"That's not fair," I pouted, "You tricked me. You are a horrible, _horrible_ shrink."

He pecked me again,

"I get good results though. Now come on Princess, I wanna hear about that dream."

"I hope you're not charging by the hour?"

"Lauren – ,"

I let out a sigh,

"Okay, _fine_."

My arms had been looped around his neck but I let them drop to run absently across his chest. My shoulder still ached a little when I moved it, but thanks to ice and painkillers it was mostly okay. After storming out of Stephanie's office, Dean had dragged me to the physio room and after some more probing and some wincing on my part, I had been diagnosed with a slightly sprained rotator cuff. The fact that Bray had given me a nameable injury had essentially sent Dean straight through the roof, but I guess, on reflection, Seth had been right and Bray could have done a whole hell of a lot worse. He would probably _do_ a hell of a lot worse if he won the match on Sunday.

I swallowed a lump down fiercely.

 _No_.

Almost as if he was thinking the same thing, Dean's fingers dropped down to the faint bruises on my neck. Apart from a hint of lingering tenderness and some horrible patches of mottled yellow-green, the after effects of the choking were fading and it was only the memory that still kept me up.

"What he did?" Dean asked, "Or what he _might_ do?"

"Huh?"

"The nightmare," he answered, "Which one was it."

Curse his perceptiveness.

"Um, kinda _both_?"

I looked away from him, suddenly feeling stupid. I mean, I'd had a _nightmare_. It was like I was a kid. Redness bloomed in my cheeks and I sucked my lip in, clamping it down beneath my teeth. Dean reached over and pulled it back out again, rubbing his thumb along it with a loving caress. His blue eyes were tired but completely non-judgemental and in a second I had never felt so safe,

"You don't need to feel embarrassed Lauren. It's no fuckin' wonder that your head's all jacked up. Honestly, I'm surprised this shit doesn't happen _more_. But maybe that's because you're a pretty tough girl."

I shook my head and shuddered a breath in,

"No I'm not, I'll never be tough."

"Fuck that. You're the toughest person I know. Come on, are you kiddin' me? After everythin' that's happened? Alright, so you'll never be _punch-a-guy-in-the-face_ tough, but I'm okay with that because that's why you need me."

I placed my hand against his cheek and stroked it with my thumb,

"That's not why I need you."

"Okay, I agree, my tongue is pretty good – ,"

" _No_ ," I giggled, "Okay yes but _apart_ from that you make me feel safe and special and like I'm worth something. You make me feel like I belong. I couldn't live without you now."

Dean dropped his forehead to rest against mine and stared at me deeply,

"Trust me, you won't have to."

"Uh huh," I sighed and sensing my uneasiness, he moved and settled down on his side.

"What? You don't think I can win against Wyatt?"

"It's not that it's just – things _happen_ , you know?

"What things?"

I blinked. Was Dean angry at me? Did he think I didn't believe he could get the job done? Shaking my head and feeling the tears start to prickle, I tried to make him see my point,

"What if Wyatt has some sort of back-up or cheats or gets you disqualified from the match? It isn't that I don't believe you can do it but Bray is just – who knows what he could do? All I can think about is him being near me and I can _feel_ him and _see_ him and it – it makes my skin crawl. I can't go with him Dean, I can't – they can't make me – ,"

As my careful explanation started to break down and another droplet leaked from my eye, Dean shuffled in again, pulling me closer and kissed the tear away as it slid down my face,

"You're not goin' anywhere and no one's gonna make you."

"But – but how can you be sure? I know you've been on the phone to the others but you never tell me what's going on. I don't know what's happening and I can't cope with it. I'm just – I'm just so tired of being _scared_."

Dean sighed heavily and his breath tickled my eyelids as he placed a kiss on the side of my head. Taking my wrist, he rolled me over to face him until we were essentially nose-to-nose in bed.

"Lauren, I promise you he's not gonna take you. I plan on winnin' but _if_ I don't then Roman and Seth are gonna get you outta there. Even if it means havin' to _smuggle_ you out. Seth's folks have got some little log cabin in the hills somewhere. They're gonna take you there. The reason I didn't tell you is because I didn't want to worry you. I didn't want you thinkin' I was doubtin' myself."

"Are you?"

He rested his thumb on my shoulder and gently started massaging the joint,

"No."

I took a deep breath and nodded,

"Okay then."

"Okay?" he repeated, raising a brow, "That's all you're gonna say?"

"What else is there? You think you can win and I – I trust you to do it. You keep me safe Dean. You've never let me down."

As my words sank in he pulled me in closer and crashed his lips against me in a passionate kiss. If it had been physically possible to melt in through his membrane and become a living part of him then I would willingly have gone but as it was we simply parted panting and Dean gazed at me,

"I fuckin' love you. You know that, right?"

"Probably just as well I love you back then. Might have been awkward otherwise."

We kissed again and it suddenly made me realize how much I missed out on being with Andy for all those unadventurous years. If you had asked me a few months ago who I was, I would have said I was simple, safe and – well – _normal_. Now however, I felt none of those descriptions and although I had always thought that would be a bad thing, I felt virtually _liberated_ instead. With Dean I wasn't afraid to talk dirty, to be silly and giggly or even spontaneous in bed. He made me feel like a fully rounded person and what was more, he loved every version of who I was. It didn't matter if I was happy or stupid or paranoid, he was there for me, unconditionally, without a word being said. As he turned off the light and settled down beside me, I began to trace absent little patterns on his arm,

"I really wish you could have met my mom. She would have loved you."

Dean instantly pulled me closer in,

"Sure I woulda felt the same way Princess. She sounds pretty great."

I nodded,

"She was. You know, I sometimes wonder if she can see all of this – if she's following what's happening. Does that sound weird?"

"No. Who's to say she isn't? Although I hope she's not been watchin' _everythin'_ we did."

I giggled again and snuggled further into him, stopping when my skull bumped up against his chest. There was still a faint trace of cologne from the morning and I breathed it in deeply and let it mingle with his scent. A cool Vegas breeze drifted in through the window and in that moment I felt warm and totally safe.

Bray was _not_ going to get me on Sunday.

Dean would never let that happen.

The thought filled me with a sudden burst of confidence and I drew a short breath in,

"It was what he _might_ do."

Dean hummed back at me and I could tell he was sleepy but it suddenly felt important to get the sentence out. He was right. It _was_ better to talk about things and I knew I wouldn't get any peace until I had.

"My nightmare. You were right. It was about what Bray might do to me if he beat – I mean, if you didn't win."

Dean's relaxed breathing sharpened a little and I could tell that he was suddenly instantly wide awake,

"Tell me."

"Bray had me – had me in this room and it was dark and I couldn't – I couldn't see the walls. There were noises like people – ," I swallowed, "People screaming but I didn't know where they were coming from and I couldn't get out because I was tied to the bed and Bray had his hand over my mouth but I was screaming. I was screaming for you to come and get me out and all the time Bray just kept laughing and telling me you weren't coming. He – he told me you were dead and all I could think about was how much I wanted you and how everybody leaves me and – ,"

I broke off again as a sob bubbled up and was so busy fighting those feelings back down that I barely even noticed Dean pull me close until his voice cut through the darkness and vibrated through my head,

" _Sssh_ , I'm not leavin' you. I'm okay, I'm right here and I promise you – I _promise_ you with everythin' I've got – that I'm not gonna let him hurt you again. He's not gonna lay another hand on you _ever_ and I'm gonna make damn sure of that."

"I know."

I nodded softly against him and clutched onto him tightly, not prepared to let him go. Bending in again, he kissed my crown gently and rubbed my arm,

"Now _sssh_ , get some sleep."

We drifted off still clasping each other and Dean's proximity kept the nightmares at bay. I was still completely terrified. How could I not be? But there was something like _belief_ starting to creep in as well.

There were still a few things I wanted to do before Sunday, in case – well, that was it – _just in case_. But I trusted Dean and his confidence boosted me.

Bray was never going to touch me again.

* * *

 **Next chapter, the big match. Place your bets folks, what's going to go down?**


	39. It All Comes Down To This

**Okay, so we're really on the home straight here, so it seems a good a time as any to bring the crazy back in! Hope you enjoy…**

 **Kayla English, I'm not giving anything away, except what I will say is that things aren't quite so simple in this match!**

 **Skovko, I think they deserve a whole year's worth of mini-vacations after this. I have kinda been pretty mean to them.**

 **Mandy, Tender Protective Dean could probably be the alternative title of this story, although I think I've come too far to change it now!**

 **Labinnacslove, So you want unexpected do you? Hmmm. Read on.**

 **Psion53, Yep, as ever, we're not done with Stephanie quite yet!**

 **Moxley Gal1, Don't worry, we'll get to Hunter eventually and he does get a mention (or two) in this one.**

 **Debwood-1999, Well done, have an apple! Yeah, thought I had to give the two of them at least something cute and snuggly before all the madness happened, as it's about to...**

 **IcePrincess1987, Do you mean to say you think Bray won't play by the rules?! But he's such an honest, trustworthy sort of person! Bray might not be the problem though...**

 **Read on everyone!**

* * *

 **It All Comes Down To This**

I had heard a lot about the atmosphere at pay per views. About how everything got bigger and the mood grew more intense. According to Matty they were great fun to work at because it felt like being part of the hub and ironically – before things got serious – I had actually been looking forward to being backstage at one. It was definitely a case of _be careful what you wish for_ because now that I was there, I _could not_ keep calm.

I blew deep breaths in and out like a steam train, my fingers clenched and clawed at each other, my knee bounced up and down like it was mimicking a pneumatic and my heart pounded wildly. In short, I was a mess and the fact that The Shield were gathered around me only partly helped.

I was _so_ _so_ scared.

Across the locker room Dean was getting ready, flexing his heels and winding on his tape. Beside him Seth and Roman were discussing his strategy or more likely the plan to bail me out if things went wrong. Whatever they said however was lost on me as I stared into space and listened to my blood roar.

I jumped as my phone vibrated beside me and glanced down at it.

 _Hunter Calling…_

Again?

It wasn't a total surprise – I guess – since my father had been ringing me constantly all week. Some days he had even hit twelve calls but I hadn't answered one of them. I hadn't known what to say. My last conversation in the hospital had been draining and that was _before_ being half-choked by Bray. Since then my head had been positively spinning and I knew that I simply couldn't cope with his call. I felt mean – sure – because I knew he would be freaking but once again I was in trouble because of his wife. I wanted my father. I wanted his comfort but I wasn't about to break my last ultimatum and until he kicked Stephanie into touch – which wouldn't happen and I had honestly never thought it would – I wasn't prepared to have that poison in my life. The only people I needed were Kelly and Dean. Okay and maybe Roman and Seth. Those two were the teasing brothers I'd never had.

Kelly had taken a lot of calming down and not just in her first call but right throughout the week. She had actually wanted to come and support me and – god love them – they had packed up the car to drive down but shortly after that she had felt a twinge in her belly and after a quick call to the doctor had been advised to chill out. For the next three weeks until the baby came, Kelly was on strict bed-rest, which meant wrestling matches were out. It was probably better that way anyway, since nobody knew how things would go down. If I was at some point dragged away by Wyatt then it was probably better it wasn't in front of my pregnant friend. Not that Dean would let that happen. I trusted him. I trusted _them_.

A knock at the door caught me briefly off guard and I gasped as my body jolted with alarm. Without waiting for an invite our guest threw the door wide and standing there was Stephanie McMahon.

 _Ugh_.

Could the woman not take a hint? Instantly all three Shield members stiffened and Dean stepped towards her with pure rage on his face.

"Get the fuck out."

Seth grabbed at him,

"Whoa, Dean."

"What? You've come to make another stipulation? Let me guess, the winner gets Lauren's fuckin' _soul_? No? How about my house since you seem to be pretty keen on givin' away stuff that belongs to me. You want my fuckin' car as well?"

A shiver rippled through me at the impact of his words but also at how dangerous his rough voice had become. Stephanie however merely stared back at him, before turning to me coolly,

"Lauren? I'd like a word outside."

"Are you fuckin' _kiddin'_ me?" Dean shot back at her, "You think you've got anythin' to say she wants to hear? I thought I warned you the last time we did this. _Stay away from her_."

"Dean man, calm down."

As Seth began to struggle to hold his brother back, I let out a sigh and slowly rose to my feet. From the way everyone turned to look at me in bafflement it was obvious they had practically forgotten I was there.

Not a surprise. I'd been virtually mute.

"Dean, it's okay," I shrugged at him despondently, "I mean at this point, what more damage could she do?"

Shrugging himself roughly out of Seth's vice-grip, Dean crossed the locker room and gently grasped my arms. Clearly he was worried by my depressing assessment and he ducked to be able to stare into my eyes,

"You sure about this Princess?"

I nodded,

"Uh huh."

Roman stepped forward and put a hand on Dean's shoulder,

"I'll go with her – won't let her out of my sight."

Across the room and still stood by the doorway, Stephanie let out a long-suffering sigh.

"We're going to be right outside the locker room. I really don't think she needs a guard."

"Maybe not," Roman answered, his features expressionless, "But after what happened last time, I'm not willing to take the chance."

He was referring to the night that Bray had first grabbed me and sensing that the Big Dog was not prepared to back down, Stephanie merely threw despairing hands heavenwards and swung the door open before ushering me through. True to her word she spun in the corridor although she didn't start speaking until the door had banged closed and that was only after a quick glance at Roman who had taken up position leaning back against the wall.

"I know you hate me Lauren," she started and her tone seemed high and mighty like it nearly always was, "But it isn't fair to take it out on Hunter."

I bristled on instinct.

 _Excuse me?_

"What?"

"He's been trying to get you on the phone all week but whenever he rings, you just hang up. It's cruel Lauren. He's _worried_ about you. You're acting like an ungrateful little brat."

I couldn't help it.

I laughed at her, as in I actually leaned back then laughed in her face,

"Oh really? How exactly am I meant to be grateful? What am I supposed to be grateful _for_? For him all but _abandoning_ my mother? Dragging me into the ring when I didn't want to go? Or for making me believe that his wife was normal instead of a psycho bitch – which you are because clearly you still think this whole mess is _my_ fault."

Roman chuckled, sounding proud and I appreciated that he was out there with me. In response, Stephanie merely narrowed her eyes and tried again,

"Hunter _needs_ to talk to you."

"Then Hunter's going to have to wait and – honestly Steph – do you not get this? Do you _not_ understand why I didn't take those calls?"

She faltered slightly, clearly caught out by my suddenly introduced question and answer lightning round. Despite that though, she still chose to respond to me and her folded arms told me she thought she'd got it right.

"You didn't take them because you're punishing him – punishing him for choosing me."

"I knew he would choose you," I simply shrugged back at her, "I wish he hadn't but that wasn't a surprise. Has it ever occurred to you that the reason I didn't answer is because I've been trying to _protect_ him?"

"From what?"

"From me," I offered and from the way her head jerked, I could tell that my answer had caught her by surprise, "I knew he would feel horrible about this whole match thing and if he talked to me then he would hear how _scared_ I was. What would be the point of making him feel worse about it when I knew there was nothing he could do to help? So _yes_ , I wanted to try and protect him. Unlike _you_ I tend to think about the consequences before I act."

Stephanie blinked several times then shook her head at me,

"You expect me to believe that?"

"Why would I lie? It's not like I've exactly got much to lose here."

For a second we merely stared at one another, trying to figure the other one out. It felt like we were at some strange impasse, yet at the same I don't think we'd ever understood each other _more_. Maybe it was the fact that my head was a jumble but I felt like for the first time she could see who I was. A strange expression came over her face and she frowned a little,

"Lauren, about tonight – ,"

"I'm fine," I replied but my tone was near emotionless. I was many things but I was definitely nowhere near _fine_ , "The guys will take care of me. Tell Hunter not to worry. Dean's going to win and take me home."

"But if he doesn't – ,"

"He will," Roman put in defensively and I nodded my agreement,

"He's never let me down."

Again Stephanie stood and simply stared back at me and then she suddenly drew in a breath,

"Look, I'm sorry."

I blinked at her.

 _Wow._

Those were two words I'd never thought I would hear. Sadly they had come about two weeks too late and with my nerves in tatters I couldn't make myself respond to them. Instead I shook my head a little and shrugged my shoulders,

"What's done is done."

"Does that mean you don't forgive me?"

"It's means I forgive you but I don't think I can trust you again," I offered back, "I thought we were _friends_ Steph. You made me believe that. I'm not going to let you burn me again."

To be honest her reaction surprised me a little in that she looked a little hurt and very slightly _crushed_. It made me wonder if maybe she _was_ sincere this time but I didn't have the energy to take it all in. As it turned out, I didn't have time either because as she opened her mouth to retort, the lock room door suddenly swung open and Seth and a game-faced Dean stepped out.

"Time to go," Seth chirped flatly and Roman nodded and pushed himself off from the wall.

Despite the fact that he was trying to stay focussed, Dean's eyes slid appraisingly across, seeing that Stephanie was hovering close by me and trying to work out if I was upset.

"You okay?"

I nodded mutely and hurried towards him, slipping my hand into his and holding tight. I honestly couldn't think about Stephanie any longer, not when Bray Wyatt still had me in his sights. The next half hour was going to decide my future and beyond that nothing else seemed to count. We turned and left Stephanie standing in silence and headed off through the corridors to make The Shield's grand entrance.

This was it.

No going back now.

From the second we stepped out into the crowd any thoughts I had entertained about the match being intimate and personal to the three of us were lost in roaring cheers. The pay per view arena was twice the size of the usual ones and every person in it seemed to be on our side. The noise of them almost blew my ears clean out and as we trampled down the stairs it was to a hail of claps and pats. By which I mean they patted _Dean_. Thanks to his expression, no one risked touching me. Roman swung me up over the barricade and then Seth dropped the ropes to let me climb into the ring. Dean was pacing – completely in fight mode – and for a moment I assumed he'd forgotten I was there. As the lights dropped however and Bray's eerie music kicked in, he crossed the ring towards me and pulled me in against his chest.

"I got this, okay?" he whispered at me softly, as the smoke and the swinging lantern moved in. Around us the arena was being lit up by lights as ten thousand people held up their phones, but in spite of that I could only see Dean and I tiptoed up to give him one final kiss. His grip grew tighter and his eyes shone fiercely, "I fuckin' _got_ this Lauren."

"I know you do."

As expected Bray had brought out Rowan and Harper and so as the cult leader stepped in through the ring ropes, Dean helped me out over on the far side, releasing me into the custody of Seth and Roman and basically entrusting them with my life. Thankfully the Swamp Monster Brothers stayed back a pace, but that didn't stop them from staring at me. Noticing me shudder, Seth reached a hand out and grabbed my arm,

"Ignore it, they're not getting anywhere near you."

"They're not the only who are staring," Roman added and I quickly looked up.

 _Crap._

Bray was watching me wide-eyed and chuckling, scratching his beard like the man had lice. Dean was pacing like a tiger in front of him, positively _losing_ it he was so amped up. He muttered and shook his fists and slapped himself but despite the performance, Bray would only look at me.

"I'm takin' you home with me Mockingbird," he bellowed and I flinched as his gruff voice cut loudly across the ring, "You're _mine_ Little Bird – you'll _always_ be mine."

Evidently Dean had heard enough and before the bell had even been sounded, he was straight across the ring and tipping Bray onto his back.

 _Ding, ding_.

The match was officially underway but I'm not so sure that Dean even _heard_ it he was so busy pounding his fists into Bray. Every single blow he delivered was accompanied by a grunt of exertion and from having been cocky and utterly certain, Bray was reduced to curling up ball-like and wrapping his arms around his head. If it wasn't for the fact that the referee got between them and physically _made_ Dean back up, then I doubted he would have actually stopped and nor would that have been a bad thing.

Payback was a bitch after all.

For the next few phases, Dean took control and it was like he was on fire. He simply _owned_ the ring. Bray could do _nothing_ to stop the assault and every time it looked like he might get back up on his feet, Dean took him down again and then got up, grinning. Beside me Seth and Roman were going off like cheerleaders, whooping and hollering and spurring him on.

"Go on baby," Seth called out loudly, in the moment forgetting that he hated the word, "You got him on the ropes now."

It all seemed so easy, _too_ easy perhaps because as Dean backed Bray up into the corner and pummelled at his torso with his flying taped up his fists, the referee again inserted himself smoothly and used his chest to push Dean back a few steps.

"That's it babe," Roman shouted reassuringly, as Dean turned and stalked like a restless wildcat across the ring, "Keep it going, don't let him get up."

It was as Dean stepped towards the far ropes however that Harper moved – like a pike in a stream – and his hands snaked blisteringly fast around Dean's ankles, planting him solidly onto his face.

" _Hey_ – ,"

Seth erupted, chasing away from us like a blur towards the opposite side of the ring. He hit the metal steps at what I assumed was his full speed and vaulted up off them to take to the air. Considering that he had just wiped out their teammate, Harper remained unaware of Seth's flight only clueing in to the fact that Seth was airborne as The Shield's chief aerialist came crashing down on his head.

Clearly, Luke Harper was _not_ a bright man.

I gasped in concern as both men went down heavily, relaxing a little as I saw Seth pop up. Evidently coming in to land on Harper was not the end of the tit-for-tat fight and no sooner was Seth back on his feet, than he was dragging up Harper and then laying him out. It worked for approximately the first two times because then – as Seth swung Luke in towards the ring-post – Harper reversed it and sent Seth down instead.

" _No_ ," I wailed and Roman stepped away from me, instinctively moving to help out his friend. He seemed to remember that I was there as an afterthought and I could instantly see the conflict on his face, "Roman – ,"

"I'm not going anywhere," he grumbled,

"But Seth – ,"

"Seth's a big boy, he'll be just fine."

As it turned out – even if he had wanted to – he couldn't have made it directly to Seth because as he turned himself back towards the match up, his shift revealed Rowan, coming our way. I quickly spun him around again and pointed,

" _Roman_ – ,"

The Big Dog stiffened instantly, drawing himself up to his impressive full height. It still wasn't quite big enough to out-tall Rowan but it was pretty intimidating nevertheless. As the redneck redhead plodded towards us, Roman gently pushed me back, making sure I was safely behind him and more importantly keeping his promise to Dean intact.

It was only when I saw Roman's head jerk to the right that I realized Harper was lumbering in from our other side, hemming us completely and boxing us in. I swallowed as my heart started to beat like a drill bit. I could physically _feel_ it pumping up and down. There was no way Roman could take on the both of them which meant one of them would be able to come after me.

Looking up, I saw Dean struggle to his feet again and as he spotted what was happening he muttered something.

" _Shit_."

He was attempting to scramble from the ring to come and help us when Bray grabbed him roughly right around the neck, tipping him backwards and kissing his forehead before flipping him and slamming him down onto the mat.

"Dean – ," I shouted,

 _Oh god no_.

The referee dropped to his knees and started counting and I could have cried when Dean kicked out after two. He looked exhausted – in fact he looked bewildered – but he was still in and still fighting just like I knew he would.

Meanwhile, outside on the floor, things were not improving, mostly because Harper had made it round the ring and was now on the same side that Roman and I were. Rowan had continued to close in too and now they were both just a matter of _steps_ away from us. It was becoming pretty obvious that Roman would have to take one on, but which of the Swamp Men did he try to take out first?

" _Aaah_ – ,"

I actually heard Seth coming before I saw him as he led his attack with a nasally snarl. Having picked himself up he'd come blistering across the canvas and thrown himself into a spin above the ropes. For the second time in as many minutes, he came bodily down on Luke Harper's head and the pair of them banged heavily into the announce desk, startling the commentary team. JBL snatched up his hat.

As Roman threw himself at Erick Rowan and took him down with a bang onto the ground, the situation around us broke down again and I huddled into the barricade as the fists began to fly.

Up in the ring, Bray was pummelling Dean and as the referee tried to pull him off, the cult leader turned and shoved him away roughly, sending him flying back several feet and the force of it making him bang his head up against the post.

The referee was out for the count.

 _Holy shit_.

That wasn't good.

"Lauren – ," Seth's frantic shout caught my attention and I turned to see Luke Harper shambling my way. Seth was wrapped around his kneecap but clearly wasn't able to hold for much longer and his warning shivered through me, "Run – Lauren, _run_."

My heart hitched.

It was time for Plan B.

With Harper slowly dragging himself my way and the other channel blocked by Roman and his prey, my only remaining option was to exit through the crowd who I knew were behind me and so would probably let me by. I was turning to scramble my way over the barricade when I found my eyes drawn back to the ring.

 _Dean_.

Bray was physically sitting on top of him, pinning him down as he threw punches at his face. He was bellowing too and despite all the cheering I could every word as clear as day.

"She's mine Dean, _mine_. Little Bird's too good for you."

Dean had his hands up, trying in vain to shield himself and before I even knew what I was doing I was surging towards the ring and sliding awkwardly inside.

"Lauren – ," I heard Seth yell in astonishment, "What are you doing?"

The truth was I didn't know but the one thing I _did_ know was that I had to do something. Anything at all. The man I loved was being beaten to a pulp and I although I was essentially powerless to stop it, I wasn't about to run or sit back and watch. Neither of the opponents knew I was in there and so when I tangled my fingers in Bray's greasy follicles and forcibly peeled him away from my boyfriend, it actually came as something of a shock.

"Mockingbird?"

"Leave him alone," I demanded but it was only when Bray had fully stumbled to his feet that I realized I had maybe made a mistake. Not only was he huge but he was also hugely angry and now it was me who was squarely in his sights.

"I didn't want to hurt you Little Bird," he growled, but there was no trace of affection left in his eyes and as he stepped forward, I quickly skittered back, "But you just won't listen to me. I've tried to make you see. Looks like we're going to have to do this the hard way."

Dean rolled over at that exact moment and as he saw me I could see the disbelief in his eyes. They also flooded almost instantly with horror and as he tried to struggle upright, it filled me with fight.

After all, we were in this thing together.

"Bray – ," Dean snarled and as the Bearded One looked round, I swung my leg up hard between his kneecaps and buried the toe of my boot in his groin.

 _Oooooh._

The look of pain that bloomed on his face was almost enough to make _me_ wince but I didn't exactly have time to think about it, as in the background, Dean pushed himself onto his knees and pointed at the ramp,

"Lauren, get out of here."

I didn't take a lot more encouragement and rolled myself gladly out of the ring. Around the edges, Seth and Roman were still fighting and even Bray seemed to have pulled himself vaguely upright again. Hopping off the apron down onto the matting, I started fast-walking my way up the ramp, not sure what to actually do when I got up there but knowing it was safer than staying where I was.

" _Lauren_ – ,"

At the sound of Dean's frantic warning, I turned to see Bray rolling right out after me, having left my boyfriend in a heap on the mat. Instantly my fast-walking turned into sprinting as I positively _threw_ myself up the ramp.

 _Head down Lauren, you can do this._

For the briefest of moments I thought I would make it, but then, when I was halfway up, a figure came strolling out from underneath the titantron, the purpose of her movements making her long brown hair bob.

I ground to a halt in total confusion and my mouth dropped open in waves of pure shock.

"Stephanie?" I blinked and then my puzzlement turned to horror as I finally registered what she was holding in her hands.

A sledgehammer.

 _Oh god_.

She was going to end me and I stood in terror, frozen to the spot as she stalked straight towards me – her eyes cold and soulless – and swung the heavy mallet up high above my head.

* * *

 **CLIFFHANGER! Come on, I had to put at least** _ **one**_ **more in.** **What's a climactic ending without one?!**


	40. Heat Of The Moment

**So the wait is over, here we go again. The last of the crazy chapters!**

 **Debwood-1999, Well, you're right and you're wrong but I hope you like the twist all the same! Also, yes, Bray totally deserved that. Getting booted in the junk was a small price to pay!**

 **AngelsDestiny22, Do you really think Stephanie would do the right thing? Ever? Hmmm. Well, you'd better go ahead and read!**

 **LiLCountry24, I know *evil laugh* that was probably my biggest cliffhanger. Sorry (nope, not really) to keep you in suspense!**

 **Psion53, I do like to keep you all guessing (kinda figure it's my job!) Hopefully this chapter will be worth the big cliffhanger.**

 **Mandy, Sorry! But after this one everything calms down again, so I promise I won't be panicking you any more with this story!**

 **Skovko, I always kind of picture Seth as sort of a little ankle-biting terrier, so him hanging onto Harper's leg seemed to totally make sense as I wrote it (not sure he'd be so impressed!)**

 **Labinnacslove, Stephanie weird? Surely not! Okay, I agree, maybe a little, although I prefer to call her emotional challenged!**

 **Mrs. VampDiva Belikov, Short but sweet! Thank you (since I'm hoping that's a good wow!)**

 **Kayla English, I won't keep you hanging any longer. Here's the rest..**

 **ThatGirl54, Well, she's definitely gonna hit somebody with it. The million dollar question is who? Answer coming right up!**

 **Strap yourselves in folks!**

* * *

 **Heat Of The Moment**

"Duck."

With a massive knot of _oh shit_ in my throat it was hard to form words but I still spat one out,

"Wh-what?"

But as the sledgehammer arced through the air in my direction, Stephanie's command turned into a bark.

" _Duck_."

Given the woman was still trying to kill me, it seemed strange that she thought I would do _anything_ she asked. Even stranger however was the fact that I did it. Without hesitation. I instantly squatted down.

" _Oof_ – ,"

The second I did there was a dull thud behind me and an incoherent, guttural sound. Around me the crowd reacted to something loudly as ten thousand people abruptly went wild. What was that? Why were they shouting? I flinched as I waited for the blow that never came and instead nearly found myself toppling over as the ramp shuddered violently under my heels. It felt like an elephant had fallen down onto it and when I tentatively looked round, I realized one had. Well, okay, maybe not _actually_ but pretty damn close to it.

Bray Wyatt was laid out.

For a moment or two I simply stayed there staring, watching the big round chest heave up and down and expecting the eyes to spring open at any minute. It was a little bit like waiting for the serial killer to wake up during the climax-before-the-climax in a cheap horror film. But he didn't. He simply lay there unmoving, with a fast-forming bruise in the space between his eyes.

 _What the hell?_

But the facts were pretty damn clear. Stephanie had hit her employee with a sledgehammer. She had hit him with a sledgehammer in order to save _me_. My head spun back again and I stared in astonishment at my wide-eyed but very satisfied stepmother. Seeing my gaze she dropped her heavy weapon and extended her hand to me,

"Lauren? Are you alright?"

I took it in a daze and let her help me upright, nodding shakily,

"I – I'm okay."

A split second later she had me gripped in a tight hug and I stood uncertainly, not convinced I wasn't dreaming as I tried to work out whether to return it or not.

"Thank god," she whispered and she actually sounded _teary_ , "I'm sorry. This is all my fault."

"Um, it's – uh – it's fine, I guess, Steph,"

"No Lauren, no it's not."

Holding me suddenly away from her at arm's length, she looked at me and the sincerity made me catch my breath. Even when I had thought the two of us were buddies, I had never seen her look so _real_. There was something desperate and vulnerable about her and although I had sworn to never again trust her, I knew in an instant that _this_ time it was true. Which left an important question,

"W-why?"

"I need you to trust me again."

Well that was simple and as my poor head spun from the night's unending turns, I slowly nodded back at her and offered up a sigh,

"Oh, o-okay."

She blinked at me for a moment in suspicion and then frowned a little,

"That's – that's all you've got to say?"

"What else _is_ there to say?" I gaped back at her, "You just came out here and took out _Bray Wyatt._ You saved me. I _think_ that makes us sort of, possibly, _very slightly_ within the ballpark of _okay_."

We were interrupted by a moan from the floor behind us and I started back a step as Bray rolled a little bit. He wasn't exactly what you might call _coherent_ but there was no denying that the Swamp Thing was waking up.

"Lauren – ,"

As a breathless voice called out from in front of us, I registered a familiar hand reaching out and I instantly accepted it without hesitation and let it pull me towards a black-vested side,

" _Dean_."

" _Fuck_. Are you alright? I thought she was swingin' that thing at your head."

I laughed a little shakily as his eyes raked me over, looking for injuries,

"Yeah, me too."

Below us on the floor, Bray grumbled again and Stephanie stalked forward, breaking us up. Suddenly she was no longer my stepmother, instead she had switched back into _Boss Mode_. As her eyes snapped up towards the ring, I followed them and realized at the same time that the referee was getting up. If he made it to his feet and saw her standing there – with a sledgehammer hanging loosely by her side – then the match would be over and Bray would win by default and we had all of us come too far to let that happen now.

" _Quick_ ," Steph snapped, pointing at the Wyatt man, "Get him back in there and cover him."

Fortunately Dean didn't waste any time and with a growl of what sounded like gleeful retribution, he hauled the groggy Bearded One back onto his feet. He essentially had to shuffle-come- _drag_ Bray to the apron, but once he was there he rolled him back in. Sliding in after him and jumping to his feet again just as the referee pulled himself up. There was still a fight – make that two – out at ringside, but his attentions were focused fully in the ring as Dean hauled Bray up to give him his finisher before dropping down and hooking his leg for the pin.

 _One…two…_

The crowd counted with them, positively erupting at the final strike,

 _Three._

That was it. The match was over. Dean had taken on Bray Wyatt and won. Before I even knew that I was moving, I was streaking down towards him and clambering clumsily into the ring. I launched at him bodily as he still had his hands up, only just missing the bruised-looking ref. Dean caught me easily and held me close against him, saying nothing, just burying his head in my neck.

"You did it," I giggled, cupping his face giddily and kissing him all over as he tried to catch his breath, "You did it – you beat him. I love you so much."

I meant it too. My heart almost burst with it and he laughed in exhaustion and caught me on the lips. It was the very first time we had kissed on camera and the crowd went wild with _whoops_ and cheers. It was almost like a scene from a Hollywood rom-com only instead of that it was actually my life.

"Right back at 'ya Princess," Dean grumbled, sweeping my hair away and kissing me again.

Underneath our feet the canvas bounced violently as Seth and Roman joined the gathering. Their first port of call was naturally Dean, but Roman made sure to swing his arms around me too.

"Touch and go for a minute there Baby Girl. Did Stephanie really take a sledgehammer to Bray?"

I nodded,

"Yeah, she actually did."

"So does this mean she's all forgiven now?"

"Maybe, I don't know. I guess _possibly_ , yes."

In the background Seth was demanding a microphone, which he promptly handed over to Dean. At some point Bray had been dragged out to ringside and was being man-handled up the ramp by his battered looking team.

"Hey Wyatt," Dean called out to him and _god_ he sounded sexy, "I won. I get to keep her. This little game of yours is done. You ever come near her – you even _think_ about her again and I will bury you so deep that not even the worms will find where you are."

Bray merely glared straight back at him mutely, one chubby hand pressed up against his head. He was going to have one _hell_ of a migraine. Good. It served him right. What did I care? Dean dropped the microphone down with a clatter and then pulled me in close to him again. At some point Stephanie had climbed into the ring with us and as the Wyatts slunk off, she held out her hand.

 _Truce?_

Dean looked at it for a second and then blinked over at her uncertainly, which would have carried on for maybe an hour had I not jabbed him pointedly in the ribs.

"Please Dean. A fresh start – no Wyatts, no drama."

At the look on my face he let out a sigh and then slowly took Stephanie's hand and shook. The crowd cheered. Everything in the world seemed right again. The Shield were back in The Authority's good graces, the Wyatt Clan had been beaten into the ground and best of all my family crisis looked – totally surprisingly – like it _might_ be okay. Testing that theory further, I stepped towards Stephanie and held out my arms a little. She accepted instantly and as we hugged tightly, I got off my chest what I'd been meaning to say to her,

"I'm never going to take him away from you Stephanie."

She squeezed me a little more and whispered back,

"I know that now."

As Bray and his minions shuffled off behind the curtains, Dean gave my hand a gentle little tug, pulling me out of Stephanie's embrace and off towards the ropes.

"Time to go."

We left Stephanie standing on her own in the ring and scampered backstage into gorilla with the crew. Somewhere in the background the show was still rolling but I was distracted by Matt coming at me like a missile and practically hauling me into his arms.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god – ,"

"Um, Matty? It's okay, really, I'm fine."

It came out slightly muffled as I spoke against his silk shirt and sensing that he was possibly cutting off my oxygen, he released me but continued to hold on tightly, pinning my arms against my sides. He shook me backwards and forwards violently and I wasn't fully sure he wasn't breaking down,

"I'm not going to lie to you, I thought she was gonna nail you – actually, we all did. We thought you were dead."

"Guess I dodged the bullet again then, huh?"

He shuddered – at what I assumed was the thought of it – and then promptly pulled me closer again.

"God girl, do you ever like to find trouble? Luckily for you there's a hot man by your side."

I giggled a little and smoothed down my hair which was frizzing from being rubbed up and down his shirt front,

"I assume you're talking about yourself again Matty?"

"Usually _yes_ but this time I meant Dean."

At the mention of his name, I glanced across gorilla, to where my boyfriend was leant waiting up against the door. His slick sweaty arms, his damp pushed-back hair and his skinny little waistline sent shivers across my skin and I licked my lips absently as I felt them tingle.

I wanted him badly.

 _Oh my_.

I wanted him _now._

"Um, Matty?" I started, rising onto my tiptoes, "Can I borrow something from you? Um, if you've got one spare?"

I quickly whispered my request in his earlobe and after a momentary blink of astonishment he grinned,

"Oooh, good girls gone wild, huh?"

"Please? I'm begging you."

Letting out a sigh, he reached into his wallet and pulled out what looked like one of _many_ spares. I took it from him as soon as it was out and – not having pockets – hid it discreetly down my front,

"Can I make a suggestion?" Matt offered, bright-eyed, "If you want somewhere comfortable, there's a couch in the office. It's not very big though, so you can't stretch out."

"The office?" I blinked, "My _stepmother's_ office?"

"Too kinky for you?"

I grinned,

"A little bit. But don't worry, I already know where I'm going to take him."

"To heaven and back?"

"I'll see you tomorrow Matt."

By the time I reached the doorway, my anticipation was in overdrive and I grabbed Dean's hand up and half- _dragged_ him along. He seemed a little surprised by my insistence but followed me anyway,

"Princess? Somethin' wrong?"

"Nope," I replied as we surged into the locker room, "Just got kind of an _idea_ , that's all."

Dropping his hand I began to rifle through our travel bag, hoping to hear a familiar sounding jingle and only managing to draw more looks. Across the room Seth and Roman were changing, getting ready for their tag-team match but they both stopped to watch as I muttered to myself crossly and continued to roughly root things aside.

"Does anyone know what she's doing?" Seth asked them and Dean shrugged back at him,

"I can't read the woman's mind."

"The _woman_ ," I shot back, as Roman chuckled, "Is looking for the stupid – _aha_ – keys."

I produced them from the bag like I was showing off a trophy and everybody blinked as I held them up high.

"Keys?" Seth frowned, "Are you going already? Roman and I haven't had our match yet."

"No," I blinked, suddenly flushing slightly as I realized that my discretion had abruptly gone to hell, "No we're not – we're not leaving. I just need Dean to – um – help me with something. We'll be back before you know it."

"Help you with what?"

At Seth's new question, my cheeks blew bright red and Dean frowned a little in confusion as he saw them, taking them in with a slightly tilted head.

"Oh just _something_ I left in the car,"

I threw a meaningful look towards my boyfriend and _begged_ him to understand me. His eyes suddenly grew wide. Yep – there it was – we were working on telepathy. If I had ever needed any more proof that we were two halves of a whole, then there it was.

"Right," he grumbled, "Uh – _the car_."

As he pushed himself away from the wall, Roman's chuckle turned into a laugh and was quickly joined by Seth's piercing bark as the two of them quickly figured us out.

"Don't stain the seats. We'll lose the deposit."

I threw my eyes skywards and heaved a sigh.

 _Damn._

"Just don't forget our match, okay man? We go out in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes," Dean grinned at me wickedly, "Sounds like we've got time to do it twice."

As he waggled his eyebrows in my direction suggestively – merely for the purposes of making his teammates laugh – I grabbed his hand and shook my head at all of them. I had rarely been so embarrassed in my life. He came with me willingly, still chuckling to himself but couldn't resist pausing briefly in the doorway to chirp at his brothers,

"Don't wait up."

"Oh god," I groaned, as we turned towards the parking lot, "You're like a damn child."

"But that's part of my charm, right?"

He arms wound in around me from behind until I was forced to practically waddle along. He hung in low and blew against my neckline and I shrieked in hysterics and then ground to a halt.

"Do you actually want to do this or not? Because we're kind of wasting time here and I just thought – _hey_ – ,"

Before I could finish he had ripped the keys off me and started sprinting for the big exit doors. Considering his frame, he was halfway there before I had even had the time to blink and turning around he flashed me a grin and laughed a little,

"Race you there."

I set off after him and he slowed down mildly but was still ahead when we burst out into the night. It was cold outside and a cool wind was blowing but it didn't slow me down. Our goal was in sight.

Dean had the doors unlocked before we got there and so we were able to throw them open as we each chose a side. Launching myself in I hit the backseat in a baseball slide, meeting Dean as he dove in across the leather. In a second he had me wrapped in his arms and was kissing me hungrily as he groped to shut his door. The slam of the mechanism barely even registered but I _did_ react as he started to lay me down, lowering me carefully onto the upholstery yet never once parting our near _frantic_ lips. Reaching over and cupping my breast with one hand, he used the other to pull closed the final door and the sudden seal it created around us made it intimate and also pretty sensual as well. A solitary streetlight splashed through the windshield, but other than that it was cosy and dark.

"Love you so much," Dean murmured at me gruffly, the sentence unfolding each time we paused for air, "So fuckin' much Princess. Can't live without you."

"You don't have to. You beat him. I'm staying right here."

As he pressed down on top of me, trying to get closer, I could feel the hardness up against my leg and I dropped my hand down as I licked his bottom lip and listened to him hiss,

" _Fuck_ – ,"

"I want you Dean."

"I want you too," he ducked down and kissed me, "But it wasn't like I was _prepared_ for this. I didn't think to bring any of that shit to work today – should have asked Seth or Roman."

"Well what if I told you I had this?"

Reaching gently down into my cleavage, I pulled Matty's precious condom out and Dean's eyes grew wide as he took it from my hand before smirking at me slightly,

"What else you got down there?"

I giggled as he leant in and brushed his hand across my dress front, before burrowing a probing finger between my breasts.

" _Dean_ – ," I laughed, trying to twist away from it but being pinned on my back by the drop of his hips. The position made his growing need ever more obvious but he dragged out the teasing as I helplessly squirmed,

"I'm almost up to a dollar in change here,"

"Dean," I squealed hysterically, "Stop I – I can't breathe – ,"

"Oh Princess, you _are_ ticklish, aren't you? _Whoa_. You're also a _very_ dirty girl."

The last part of the sentence was said in response to the fact that my fingers were fumbling with his belt, frantically trying to pull down the zipper as my legs fell apart in reaction to his bulge. Straightening a little, he helped me to undress him, before pulling down his pants and his shorts in one go. Instantly my hand was wrapped around his hardness and he groaned out loud and dropped his head against my neck, riding out the initial waves of pleasure, before starting to kiss and nip at my jaw.

As he did his hands skimmed downwards, ghosting over and then hitching up my dress. His fingers tickled and then gently snagged my pantyhose and I lifted my hips – butting them up against his groin – as he slid them agonizingly over my knees. My whole body was tingling with shivers of excitement and they grew even stronger as he peeled down my panties and quickly dropped his finger to rub circles around my spot.

"Dean," I breathed, again bucking my hips up as my lower body all but _spasmed_ from the accuracy of his touch. I was waving the condom around in desperation and he snagged it from me and then straightened to put it on, in doing so cracking his head against the roof,

" _Fuck_ – ,"

That seemed to happen a lot.

Giggling a little I sat up to meet him, gently threading my fingers across the spot he had bumped and then taking the little square wrapper back from him as I kissed him deeply.

"I'll put it on."

Dean's brows quirked a little at my suggestion and then positively disappeared back into his head as I pulled free the condom and then slid my tongue out before placing it tip first into my mouth.

"Princess – ," he groaned, flicking his eyes shut but opening them again as I bent in close. He shuddered as I gently took him in my mouth, using my tongue to push the latex against his tip. As my lips started working on the rolling down the rest of it, his hands came up and desperately threaded through my hair, " _Fuck_ Lauren – fuckin' love you."

By the time it was in place Dean was positively shaking and he juddered as I pushed out the air with my tongue, sliding my lips all the way up and down him until he gripped my shoulders and gently pushed me off,

"Not gonna have anythin' left," he grumbled, before tilting my head back and kissing me hard. They were big, wet, open-mouthed kisses that shivered right through me as he pressed me down against the seats. Dropping his hand, he resumed his careful circling before suddenly directly tapping my sensitive spot.

My hips jerked upright and I let out a yelp and he grinned at me wickedly,

"Does that feel good?"

I nodded haltingly and he did it again, applying direct pressure in a series of pulses that turned me into a vibrating mess,

"Yes – _please_ – Dean, I just – I just want you to – ,"

"Nuh uh, not so fast. _That's_ for holding out on me Princess. I thought I knew all the tricks in your little notebook."

"Actually," I panted out between gasps as his fingers quickened, "It was _two_ notebooks."

He raised his brows in amusement at that and shook his head at me,

"Just when I thought I couldn't love you more."

He brought his lips in for more hungry kisses and then _finally_ slid himself inside, lowering down until our hip bones were touching and then slowly striking up a rhythmic and deeply satisfying pace. In fact he was rolling his body so expertly, that within seconds I was writhing and exhaling his name,

" _Dean_ – ,"

The sensations were amazing, like never-ending waves of pleasure and I threw my head back and let out a gasp. Reaching out I slid my fingers down his back – still gloriously sweaty from the brutality of his match – and snaked them down around behind him, planting my palms across his hard ass and urging him to move both deeper and faster. Dean responded instantly and so did I as my pleasure tipped over the edge. As ever he stifled me by pressing his lips down, so I was forced to moan straight into his mouth. It made my climax shudder on a little longer and I was still lightly trembling when Dean finished too. The intimacy of kissing at that precise moment was powerful and it almost brought tears to my eyes. Or maybe it was the fact that I had recently been kidnapped, half-choked and then nearly forced to become a slave. Yet despite everything, there I was, free, not to mention tangled up in ecstasy with the man I loved.

Still panting with the frantic exertion of our session, Dean gave me a gentle peck and eased himself out before folding down on top of me. One of his arms wrapped protectively around me as he pulled me back to pillow up against his chest.

"You okay?" he murmured, sensing my thoughtfulness and I nodded and smiled,

"As long as I've got this."

There were still five minutes before we had to get back for Seth and Roman and we spent them simply lying there, tired and content. It had been a very long, very crazy few weeks but finally it felt like the drama was over. Dean was right, the wrestling world was dangerous but it was where I had met him, so I loved it just the same. For the first time since I had lost my mother, I felt like I had truly found my place. I felt like I was home, I _belonged_ to someone.

There was just one little thing I still needed to put right.

* * *

 **Okay, so that is the end of all the madness (hence a little bit of fun for them to close us out there) but there are still two chapters left for us to clear the loose ends up. For anyone that thinks I went easy on Stephanie, maybe I did but I think she's proved her worth. Anyway, same time as ever folks, see you in three days...**


	41. Homecoming

**So, here's the one thing Lauren has left to do before we wrap this baby up for good. This isn't the end of Lauren and Dean's story, just the (almost) finish of this first, crazy part!**

 **Skovko, Well, not a bang...maybe a nice surprise? (You'll see what I mean next chapter I hope).**

 **Psion53, I felt I couldn't end things without a bit of 'sexy time' between them. After everything I put them through, I owed them that much.**

 **MizHyde, Okay, so the golden rule (Never Trust a McMahon) still applies, but Stephanie is entering into a semi-face run here, so go with it (at least until I get one of the sequels out. Yes, I said** _ **one of**_ **).**

 **Debwood-1999, Ooh, I'm so glad you didn't see Steph's turn coming! I figured she had to make it up to Lauren somehow and that was as good a way as any! And as for the final thing she needs to take care of? You might be right...okay, you're right!**

 **Mandy, Don't be sad. It's not forever, just for a little while (a very little while!)**

 **Kayla English, I hoped you would, I know you've been rooting for Stephanie from the start! Can't offer you the entire McMahon clan but I hope this chapter is consolation for that.**

 **Labinnacslove, I can tell you exactly what happens next...or, I can let you read it yourself, which is probably better. If you mean what happens after this story however, then I will reveal all at the end of the final chapter!**

 **ThatGirl54, I thought Stephanie had to redeem herself somehow. I like her being complex rather than out and out bad!**

 **Okay, second to last chapter. Here we go!**

* * *

 **Homecoming**

I was standing – well, actually, _crouched_ – beside the counter listening as the front door opened and then closed. Stephanie's voice rang out clearly and even for her she seemed impossibly loud,

"Welcome home sweetie. How's it feel to be back?"

There was a clatter of crutches on the polished tile-floor and then the unmistakeable tones of Hunter, hobbling past the kitchen door.

"Amazing honey. I'll tell you something, I am _not_ going to miss that hospital bed."

I waited until it sounded like he was safely in the great room and then peeked my head up. Steph was in the doorway and she beckoned me towards her, grinning like a child she was so pumped up.

"Well we've missed you as well," she called out leadingly, " _All_ of us."

Hunter however, didn't take the bait and I giggled lightly and then bit my lip to stifle it as Stephanie hurried quickly ahead, arriving just as Hunter was ditching his crutches and trying to struggle into a chair. She helped him down as I stood silently in the doorway, both of us quietly chuckling to ourselves.

"I missed you too baby," Hunter offered back at her, groaning as he dropped his weight back against the seat, "I alsomissed the _Sports Network_."

"What about me?"

At the sound of my voice, Hunter spun instantly, trying to get a better look from his chair. Seeing that he was struggling, I stepped into the room fully and grinning at the look of utter shock on his face,

" _Lauren_?"

"Surprise," I held up a platter, "Can I get you a piece of _Welcome Home_ cake?"

Suffice to say he did _not_ want cake – well, not initially – he just wanted me and as he held out a hand I crossed over and took it as a smiling Stephanie spirited off the sweet treat.

"Think I'll go and cut this up. I'll leave you guys to it."

It was a pretty big step for her. Oh who was I kidding? For all of us really. Not only was I standing in Stephanie's house but she was also leaving me to talk with my father instead of turning into a jealous green mess. I was proud of us for how far we'd come and even more than that, I was proud that we'd kept it a secret from Hunter. The look on his face made it all seem worthwhile. On top of that, plotting the surprise had kind of _bonded_ us and for the first time, Steph and I were in a really good place. Our relationship may not have been as saccharine as it had been, but I was no longer in awe of her and no longer was I scared. She on the other hand, was no longer faking and so for the first time we were equals with a shared love for one man.

"What in the – ," Hunter began with a stutter, "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

His hands were still gripping onto me tightly and I liked the pressure. It made me feel loved.

"Are you okay? I wanted to call after the match but after everything that had happened – ,"

"No, no, I'm fine. I was going to call _you_ actually but then Steph suggested this and – well – it just seemed like it might be a nicer idea."

Hunter smiled at me, his whole face brightening,

"It's the greatest surprise I've ever had in my life."

"Better than me telling you I was your daughter?"

We were grinning at each other now, our conversation teasing as we built up to the more serious themes we knew we had to cross,

"Much better. Are you kidding me? My two girls under one roof."

"Kind of unexpected, huh?"

Hunter shot a look at me,

"So you two are – okay?"

Relatively speaking _okay_ was a strange term. I wasn't sure that any point of last few months could reasonably be described as on the spectrum of _okay_. But in terms of his question, my relationship with Stephanie had definitely hit a high point and so I simply offered up a smile.

"Yep," I nodded, "The two of us are fine."

"What about the Wyatts?"

Was he asking me if _they_ were fine? I shrugged at him cluelessly. I didn't really know or care. Since being beaten by Dean – alright _and_ Stephanie – Bray had been keeping himself to himself. There had been no more _lights out_ , no more _Mockingbirds_ and it looked as if he had thankfully moved on to other things. I think he had probably still been hoping to turn me, but at the point I had buried my foot in his ball-sack he had probably realized that it wasn't going to work. Unless he dragged me kicking and screaming I would never, _ever_ , be one of them and although he wasn't adverse to a little kidnapping, I think his enthusiasm had suddenly worn off.

"They haven't come near me if that's what you mean?"

Hunter nodded in ill-hidden relief.

"Good."

In the real world of course, the whole lot of them would be jobless, not to mention probably locked up. Not only had they abducted and _then_ assaulted me, but they had actually run over their boss as well. Dean had been right when he'd said wrestling wasn't normal, but that one had been a stretch even for me. Still, with the worst of – well – _everything_ behind us, I was content to follow protocol and reluctantly let it be. Not that it had stopped the occasional nightmare or the shiver of dread when I saw Bray backstage. I was stronger now though, I wasn't so frightened and having Dean at my side was a definite help.

"What about Ambrose?" Hunter asked and my head jerked up, "He here as well?"

"No, just me."

"I thought you weren't allowed out of his sight much these days."

I frowned. Was he seriously ragging on my boyfriend? Could he blame Dean for being protective of me? I felt my happy mood start to tail off a bit and I was balling my fists tightly before even realizing I was.

"Is that how you think our relationship is? That he just goes around telling me what to do?"

Sensing both my tone and my obviously building anger, Hunter swallowed and quickly shook his head,

"No that's not – I'm sorry alright? What can I say Lauren, huh? I'm your father. I'll _always_ think your boyfriends aren't good enough."

"But you'd like him better if it wasn't Dean."

It wasn't a question I was asking, it was a statement and Hunter stopped uncertainly. It was all the confirmation I needed and I stepped back quickly and shook loose my hand.

"Lauren – ," Hunter sighed, "You want me to be honest? Alright. Dean Ambrose would _not_ be my first pick."

"So who _would_ be?" I spat back, "Randy Orton? Big Show?"

" _None_ of the guys, don't you understand that? You deserve something _better_ than some angry messed up wrestler and trust me Lauren, I would know."

Clearly he was referring to his relationship with Stephanie and it was interesting that he felt that way about himself. Did he really think Stephanie deserved someone better? She _was_ McMahon blood. Maybe he did. Far from making me more angry however, it made me soften. _This_ was my way in.

"But that's what I want. I want Dean. He might not be a _normal_ boyfriend but I've had one of those and he was a dick. Dean makes me feel – he makes me feel _special_ , he makes me happy, he makes me feel _safe_. You don't know him the way I do but he's – he's the best man I've ever met."

It was a pretty big statement to toss out in front of him, especially since he probably hoped the _best man_ was him but at the same time it fully summed up my feelings and seeing the look on my face, Hunter sighed.

"Yeah, I kind of figured that – seeing how the two of you were during the match. It's pretty clear you're crazy about him. I mean, you faced off with Wyatt to try and save his ass."

I blinked,

"But then Dean – ,"

"I know, I know. He saved you. I saw it and I also saw the look in his eyes."

I glanced across at him suspiciously,

"What look?"

But if Hunter was trying to catch me out, then his face wasn't showing it. He looked utterly sincere and also a little sad and I didn't know what was coming, but it certainly intrigued me. Where was he going here?

"The look he had when he saw you were in there – when he thought Wyatt was about to grab you again. I _also_ saw how he was when Wyatt kidnapped you. When that video message of you crying came in."

He looked down as if the memory was too painful and maybe it was. It certainly was for me.

"Oh."

"I thought _I_ was angry about it, but Ambrose – well – I mean, he took frustration to a whole other level. He was completely wild. He smashed up my office."

I grinned a little wryly,

"Yeah, he mentioned that."

"But it was also the moment I saw how much he cared about you. I don't know how you did it but you really burrowed in. The two of you – _damn it_ – the two of you love each other so _although_ he's not my first choice, I won't stand in your way."

I blinked at him in a stunned sort of amazement,

"You – you won't?"

"I won't," he sighed, "On top of which, it would be pretty hypocritical wouldn't you say?"

"So you'll give him a chance?"

Hunter paused,

"Maybe a small one – but if he hurts you in _any_ way, I promise you I'm beating his ass."

As gratitude washed over me, I surged in towards him and wrapped him up in and deep and tight hug. He grunted a little as the movement pulled his injuries but when I tried to back up again, he held onto me fast.

"Thank you," I whispered, fighting the tears back and he brushed a hand over my hair.

"Anytime."

" _So_ ," Steph chirruped and at the sound of her voice, we came unglued and both looked up, "Who wants cake?"

I grinned at her,

"I do."

"Everything going okay in here?"

She asked it brightly but either she had heard us or she was using her McMahon powers to deduce that something wasn't right. Or rather something _hadn't_ been right but it seemed that we were on the same page now.

"Honey," Hunter smiled at her, accepting his cake and then pulling her down onto the chair arm beside him, "Everything is perfectly fine and this cake is amazing, so thank you, _both_."

It was a strange thing to be with Steph and Hunter doing normal family stuff. Not to mention doing family stuff in their _actual_ house. A month ago it was something I could only really dream about and yet there we all were and it felt – well – _nice_. Clearly Stephanie had been thinking the same thing as when spoke it followed a similar theme. In the process she reached down to swipe frosting off Hunter's face. They actually were incredibly sweet together.

"We'll have to arrange for you to meet the rest of the family."

"Um, the _rest_ of the family?"

"I mean Hunter's side. Don't worry, compared to mine they're ridiculously normal. Although my mom and my brother Shane are pretty low-key. Nothing compared to me and my dad."

I would have been hard pressed to find a living person who _was_ like Steph but I appreciated her extending her own kin nonetheless. Well, maybe not Vince, but everyone else. In our road to forging a workable relationship, I had come clean about being blackmailed by her dad. Naturally Stephanie had expressed her shock about it, but I was pretty sure she already knew. It explained why she was totally unflustered the night I had declared my undying love for Dean and why she handled the fall-out so calmly and had actually been ready to offer some advice. Either way she had promised not to let him repeat it and I believed her. Maybe foolishly. But – what the hell – I did.

"Maybe we could meet that best friend of yours too. What was her name?"

"Kelly," I grinned, "Her husband's called Brent and they've just had a little boy as well."

Despite the strict bedrest, Kelly's body had decided otherwise and her contractions had started a week ahead of time. By all accounts Brent had been utterly beside himself and it was down to Kelly to call a cab, collect their stuff and take charge. Not that it would have especially bothered her. She had always been happiest when in full control. Their child – my godson – had been given the name Roger and although it wouldn't have exactly been my choice they were happy and that was all that mattered. Besides that it paid tribute to Brent's departed father and a beloved great-uncle over on Kelly's side. Roger might not have been the luckiest on the name-front but in parents and godparents the kid had rolled a strike. I would see them soon and would take Dean with me and I was bubbling with excitement at us all being in one room. Despite that though, there would always be one missing and remembering it suddenly, I swallowed and looked down.

Hunter seemed to read me instinctively and drew my attention softly,

"Hey,"

I looked up at him, blinking back my tears and found that both their eyes were on me,

"Oh Lauren," Steph whispered, coming across and wrapping her arm around me while rubbing my knee gently, "I know it must be so so hard."

"You're just like her though kiddo," Hunter put in carefully and I felt a bloom of gratitude swell in my chest, "You've been through hell and back and yet you're still here smiling. I know she would have been incredibly proud."

As the tears began to fall, I let them, they were happy tears – or actually, maybe a mixture of both. Either way I wasn't ashamed by them this time. Hunter's words had soothed that thought. Lifting my head up, I looked to the sky and smiled a little.

 _I did it mom._

* * *

 **There, for everyone rooting for Lauren and Hunter's relationship (and Stephanie's) I hope you enjoyed your happy end. Not that it's the end just yet, we've got another.**

 **One chapter left, see you in three days!**


	42. Who's A Good Boy

**Okay, one day early but here we go for the final time with this story. But before we get started I just wanted to say thanks. I have honestly been blown away by the reaction to this story, so from the bottom of my heart thank you to everyone who has taken the trouble to leave a review. I've really enjoyed finding out what you're thinking and getting to know you guys (yeah, sappy I know!)**

 **Anyway, this isn't the end of Lauren's journey, so see the bottom of the chapter if you're interested in what's coming next.**

 **Now for the last time…**

 **Debwood-1999, Lol, Daddy's Little Cupcake! Maybe I should have gone with that as the title. I like it! Yep, sequel bits coming soon, not long to wait either so hopefully I won't give you time to forget that you liked this story! Thank you for all your reviews.**

 **Kayla English, Yay! I hoped you would be happy. I was desperate to tell you that Steph would redeem herself but didn't want to blow it too early on! Thanks for sticking with it until the end and for reviewing.**

 **Psion53, I couldn't end with the whole family in disarray. Seemed too cruel, so yeah, for the moment all is going well! Thank you for reviewing and letting me know you were enjoying it. Means a lot.**

 **Mandy, Aww, I'm just super glad that you've enjoyed reading it. That's all I could ask for really. Thank you for all your lovely support.**

 **ThatGirl54, Is it mean that I'm strangely proud of making you shed a tear? Not that I want you to be bawling obviously, but I'm touched that you care about the characters so much! Feels like I must have done something right! Thank you so much for reviewing.**

 **Labinnacslove, I'm not sure I'm clever enough to write a story with** _ **all**_ **of the McMahons and untold Helmsley clan members! But hey, I can always try and give it a go! Thank again for your faithful reviewing.**

 **Skovko, Yep, she's definitely one of the gang now (just not as insane as they are!) Goes without saying at this point (I hope) but thank you for all your reviews (on both my little stories, not just this one). You were right in there early doors and stuck with them, so big, big, thanks!**

 **Right, so, is everyone ready for a sickly sweet last chapter? I certainly hope so!**

* * *

 **Who's A Good Boy**

I woke with a start as Dean flung the drapes back, flinching as the Vegas sun splashed down across my eyes.

" _Ugh_ ," I mumbled, frowning sleepily and turning away from it, "Dean, too bright."

Faced with my displeasure he decided to be helpful and knelt beside me before bouncing up and down.

"Rise and shine Princess,"

"No, you're too happy," I pulled the covers up over my head and attempted to snuggle myself down away from him. Sadly he thwarted me by ripping the covers off and I curled into a ball and wailed at him, " _Dean_. Don't, it's cold."

"Lauren, we're in Vegas."

"But I was sleeping," I protested, "I'm cold."

Crawling in closer, he pressed himself against me and I turned around and snuggled into his arms. His hands ran up and down my fast forming goose skin and sighing he gave in and pulled the covers across us both,

"Five more minutes Princess, then we've gotta go."

"Thank you," I murmured and he leant in and kissed me, absently carding his fingers through my hair, "But – Dean?"

" _Mmmm_?"

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. When we get there, you'll work it out."

My eyes opened suddenly and I grinned,

"A surprise?"

"Uh huh."

"What kind of surprise?"

"I'm not tellin' you."

"Will I like it?"

He shrugged,

"I'm hopin' you might."

As he grinned at me cheekily I suddenly ripped the covers off before scrambling across the room to swipe up my clothes. Before Dean had even registered what was happening, I was hopping, one-legged, sliding into my underwear and at the same time trying not to fall against the dresser as I giggled excitedly. He gazed back unimpressed,

"Come on. Really? You're like a child."

"A child whose boyfriend has a romantic surprise for them," I paused, " _Hmm_ , wait a minute that – that sounds wrong."

Watching as I dashed around the bedroom semi-wildly, Dean propped himself up on an elbow and smiled,

"Who says it's a romantic surprise anyway? I might be takin' you to buy some welding equipment. I mean _technically_ that would still count as a surprise."

"But what _wouldn't_ be a surprise would be the lack of sex afterwards."

He grinned as I headed into the bathroom, where I set about brushing both hair and teeth at the same time. Who said women couldn't multi-task, huh? I mean, okay, so it wasn't especially easy but I managed it – sort of – and that made me proud. After washing the sleep off my face and adding make-up, I moved back into the bedroom at a skip, flinging my arms out and presenting myself to him complete with fanfare,

" _Ta-da_ – let's ride."

He shook his head at me but let me pull him upright, wrapping my arms around him even as he sighed,

"You're crazy."

"Says you mister _Lunatic Fringe_ besides, I'm not crazy, I'm just – um – _appreciative_."

"You don't know what it is yet."

"So? You've never let me down."

Dropping his head he kissed me deeply and I tiptoed up to wind my arms around his neck. He pulled away just as I was starting to get into it and slapped me on the ass,

"Come on then, _let's ride_."

We drove across the city to a place on the outskirts where the faintest hint of greenery was starting to creep in. It was perfect day to be out on the road. Warm but not scorching and with a nice dry breeze that ruffled my hair as it blew in through the window. It was the sort of day that made me grateful I was living and _especially_ grateful that I was living with Dean.

On the way I had been guessing what my surprise might be and had covered everything from sky-diving – not a fun prospect – to getting the swing-seat I'd been subtly hinting at. The answer to all of those things was a _no_ but I didn't let it stop my eager speculation and as we headed ever further out of the city, my suggestions seemed to get more and more wild,

"Swimming with dolphins?"

"We live in Vegas."

"Well," I shrugged, "That's _why_ it would be a really good surprise. Who expects dolphins in the middle of the desert? Not me that's for sure."

"Lauren, it's not dolphins."

"Right," I nodded, "So probably not a killer whale either then?"

"No."

To unsuccessfully keep my mind off the guessing, Dean had put on some of our favourite classic rock but as he turned down a pitted dirt trackway, he reached across and flipped it off. I blinked at him suddenly,

"Um, are we here?"

"Yep."

Dean grinned a little and his teeth lit up brightly under the lenses of his expensive shades. It was all the confirmation that I needed and I sat bolt upright and tried to look ahead. My eyes focused in on a sign in the distance and I frowned as I read it,

"Las Vegas Animal Res – ,"

I stopped in amazement and a knot formed in my stomach, equal parts anticipation and desperate hope. My eyes slid across to Dean in silent question and he simply beamed back at me smugly,

"Surprise."

"Dean are we – ," I couldn't get the words out, "Dean are we _actually_ getting a dog?"

"A dog?" he replied, his face falling slightly, "I thought you wanted a big hairy tarantula?"

"Very funny. Dean, I'm _serious_. Are we here to get a dog?"

"Uh huh."

The noise I responded with was more squeal than _thank you_ and lasted for longer than even I thought it would. I couldn't believe it. I _could not_ believe it. Dean and I were getting a dog. We had talked about it a couple of times before but idly as in what breed and what size and that sort of thing. It was a foregone conclusion that we would eventually get one but _so soon_? That had to be a good sign right? After all, a dog was a fifteen year commitment which meant – at the _very least_ – that so was I. Naturally however, I was hoping for longer.

"I can't believe we're doing this," I whispered, "When did you – _how_ did you?"

Dean grinned,

"Last week."

" _Last week_?"

"When you went out to get your hair done. I had a woman come over to check out the house. Make sure it was okay to have a dog or whatever."

"So, is it?"

As we passed beneath an awning of lightly blowing trees and a building fell into view in the background, Dean pulled a face and looked across at me and I knew what was coming before he'd even said a word,

" _No_ Lauren, the house wasn't suitable. But I thought I would bring you here anyway and show you all the cute dogs we maybe _coulda_ had."

"Hey," I frowned, "Still in shock here, remember?"

The building coming up on us was actually a barn and beyond it lay a block which I assumed were a mixture of offices and clinics. There was a woman playing with a dog in the field beside us and through the open window I could faintly hear more. My stomach flipped over in total excitement and I squeaked again which made Dean laugh,

"Got an idea of what you want?"

"Yep, all of them."

"Pretty sure I only ticked the box for one."

As Dean pulled up in front of a cabin marked _reception_ my excitement suddenly turned to full-on nerves.

 _Holy crap._

This was a huge step. Not only in terms of me and Dean but in terms of fulfilling my childhood dreams. Man, house, dog. The full bingo tick-list and although my relationship was still kind of new and – okay – the house was technically his, it still felt like I was completing a life milestone and it had all come so suddenly I was _lightheaded_ with it.

Happy though. Insanely happy.

"Come on," I grinned, unclipping my seatbelt and swinging the door open, "Let's go get us a pup."

As I had expected the difficult element was simply narrowing it down to one dog. There were a whole sea of faces staring through the bars at us and my heart broke instantly and predictably for every one. There were little dogs, yappy dogs, quiet dogs, jumpy dogs, brown, tan, black, blonde and everything in between. Within just ten minutes my head was spinning with them and my brain was a list of names and traits.

 _This is Jack, he's a lab mix, likes balls and cheese, does not like fireworks._

 _This is Bella, she's a border terrier, she likes lying in the sun, she does not like cats._

It helped a little that someone from reception had decided to come and help us along. I don't think it was strictly part of her job description but for some reason Dean had flashed his patented smile at her and she had immediately volunteered to give us the tour.

"Seen anything?" Dean whispered covertly as our tour operator – Val – gamely carried on,

"Over here is Darla, dear little thing, quite nervous but nothing some good old fashioned love won't fix – oh and this is Pumpkin, he's what's called a teacup – ,"

Dean dropped his voice again,

"She's pointing at a rat."

I slapped him on the chest and then sighed heavily, shaking my head,

"I told you I'd want them all. I don't know where to _start_ with this."

"How about the puppies?"

" _Huh_?"

Dean and I both raised our heads. Valerie was staring straight at us inquiringly and I briefly wondered if she had heard every word we'd said.

"Puppies," she repeated, "Folks usually come for puppies, especially nice young couples like yourselves. I appreciate the older dogs can seem a little daunting but the puppies usually help people to make up their minds."

Placing his hand on the small of my back, Dean nodded and pushed me forward a step. Val meanwhile had set off like a horse from the traps and we followed her daunted towards a smaller building which was adorned with a sign.

 _Puppy Wing_.

It was at that moment however that everything changed because there in the last kennel before puppy central were the furry features of my dog.

 _Oops._

By which I meant to say _our_ dog.

He was a stockily built fella – medium sized – black all over but with tan flecks and undersides. His coat was shaggy but not too long and it was wispy around his face which made his ear fluff gently ruffle. He had a big square jaw and little tan eyebrows that gave him a brilliantly expressive face but best of all were the big brown eyes that stared out dolefully and begged to come home with me. I ground to a halt and turned towards the meshing and he gently trotted forward and reached through to lick my hand. That was it. I was a goner and Dean knew it instantly and came over to bend down. Again the pooch repeated his welcome, wispy tail wagging in unbridled hope.

 _Hey guys, take me home?_

Val had disappeared into the puppy wing but she emerged again when she realized we weren't there and when she saw which pooch we were looking at, her face lit up and she quickly bustled back.

"Boomer," she smiled, "Oh he's a beauty."

"How did he end up here?" I asked, unable to look away from the brown eyes and wondering if I could smuggle him out under my coat. I mean, I wasn't _wearing_ a coat but I was sure I could find one if push came to shove.

"A very sad story there I'm afraid. He lived with an elderly man who passed away but unfortunately wasn't found for several days. The people that found him said it was like Boomer was standing guard. It must be hard to lose your only family."

The words were like a knife to my heart and knowing that they would be, Dean reached for my hand. In a funny way though, the words were also inspiring because now we weren't just potential adopters, Boomer and I shared a background as well. Dean sighed wryly and chanced a look across at me,

"We're gettin' him aren't we?"

I nodded.

"We are. I mean, if you're happy?"

"I am if you are."

He leaned across and kissed me on the forehead before turning to figure out the next step with Val. All the while they talked, I sat with my hand up, letting Boomer sniff me and lick me through the bars. It was at that point that I decided he was probably a genius and also the most handsome dog in the world. I was so damn excited that I almost couldn't breathe and that sensation lasted through the entire adoption process, as we met him in person, signed papers and bought supplies.

 _Come on already, let's get our boy home._

By the time he was able to get in the car with us, it was half-filled with dog beds, leashes, kibble and toys. I had sort of expected him to be a little wary, I mean, Dean and I were strangers after all, but he jumped in happily as if he'd always known us and sat down on the backseat with me, all good to go.

"Dean look," I whispered as I stroked him, "He's happy. He knows he's coming home."

Valerie came out to wave us off down the driveway and honestly I simply couldn't wait to be home. I felt like a child who'd got a new toy for Christmas and was trying to get the plastic ties off. But it was better than that. I had been given a complete little family and once again that was down to one man.

 _Dean._

Slipping off my seatbelt before we hit the highway, I leaned across the seat and wrapped my arms around Dean's neck, bending around the headrest to kiss him and unable to hold back the tears in my eyes.

"Thank you," I whispered, no other words were needed and in response he gently rubbed his thumb across my cheek

"Anytime Princess."

"I fucking love you."

"Hey that's _my_ line. Besides, when exactly did _you_ decide to start usin' that word?"

I grinned at him and then started a little at the emergence of a fluffy dark head. Boomer was pushing through the console between us, tail wagging, trying to get in on the act. I giggled and tickled beneath his chin gently and Dean let out a snort and scruffed him on the head.

"You happy?" he asked,

"Who me?" I smiled, "Or Boomer?"

"Both of you."

I nodded.

"Yep. I'm pretty sure we are."

* * *

 **Ta-da! That is it! Finito. All done here. I hope that was a fitting end. It was super hard to write because I didn't want it to finish, so on that note…**

 **SEQUELS...there will be some. I've actually already written about five of them, in a mixture of one-shots and short story forms. Some of them have their own plot, others are just snapshots but hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as you've liked this.**

 **The first one I've got is a Halloween one-shot, so look out for it (unsurprisingly) at Halloween time and then we'll go one a month from there. In the meantime I'll be posting the sequel to my other story (The Shield Reunited) so if you wanted to check that out, it might tide you over (shameless self-promotion? Sure, yes please!)**

 **Anyway, thank you again everybody, thank you.**

 **See you at the end of the month.**


	43. Sequel Notification

**Hi all,**

 **Just a note to say that a new Dean and Lauren piece is coming tomorrow for Halloween. It's called 'Bump In The Night' and will be cute, sexy-time fluffiness just to wish you a happy All Hallows.**

 **Next month there will be a multi-chapter Lauren and Dean called 'Homecoming' where she takes him back to Wisconsin with her for the first time.**

 **Hope you check them both out (if you want to, not gonna twist any arms...well, maybe only mildly!)**


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